The President's Advisory Group on Cross-Strait Relations yesterday said the government should admit companies are leaving Taiwan, and appealed to the Cabinet for an improvement of the domestic investment environment to retain businesses in the country.
"Most [group] members agree that Taiwan can't avoid re-establishing direct links with China and must face the problem of industries moving out," said New Party Legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆).
"But we hope the government will effectively improve Taiwan's domestic investment conditions to lure them back," he added.
The advisory group's agenda had focused on the issue of "what countermeasures should be taken to react to the situation after both sides of the Taiwan Strait enter the WTO."
Even so, most of the discussion centered on how to suggest to the government that it should review its current economic and trade policies.
"We all agree that the government should promote its effectiveness and the quality of public infrastructure while eliminating corruption and over-regulation," said Hsiao Hsin-huang (蕭新煌), on behalf of the group, after the meeting.
The task force also listened to a briefing from Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Tsai Ying-wen (
Hsiao said that the advisory group should understand the government's policy and the background to the WTO because they will draw up "basic principles, positions and suggestions" to help the government deal with economic issues with China in the future.
Lai said that Tsai's briefing revealed a message that the government regards future interaction between the two sides, when they join the WTO, as a model for future cross-strait relations.
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