Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew (
"I used the term `one China market' to explain the idea of a cross-strait common market. My policy concerned economic issues, but the rival camp has interpreted it from a political perspective," Siew told a press conference yesterday at campaign headquarters.
Siew made the remarks in response to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival Frank Hsieh's (
Siew said he mentioned a "one China market" in a speech at Tamkang University in December 2005 while explaining his "cross-strait common market" or "greater China market" vision.
Siew said that his policy would prevent Taiwan from being marginalized economically by integrating the domestic economic market with China's.
"China is the reason behind Taiwan's marginalization in the international economic market. The cross-strait common market would maximize opportunities and minimize the threat," he said.
Siew used the term "one China market" during an interview with a Hong Kong magazine in 2005.
Siew said his "cross-strait common market" would involve cross-strait economic negotiations on equal terms and seek to expand the nation's economy by gradually integrating it with China's.
"My proposal would be an excellent remedy for the country's economy, but the DPP has portrayed it as a poison," he said.
Siew said the success of the EU had inspired him to draw up his policy to push for peaceful cross-strait relations through economic ties.
Siew said President Chen Shui-bian (
Siew said that if elected, he would not allow poor-quality products and agricultural products from China into the domestic market, nor open the labor market to Chinese workers.
Siew said he had promoted his vision of a "cross-strait common market" for more than seven years and would not change the name of his policy in response to controversy.
At a separate setting yesterday, the DPP legislative caucus blasted Siew's "one China market," saying that it would only strengthen China.
"They [China] have never stopped treating us like an enemy. What Ma and Siew are promoting seems to be `feeding the tiger meat,'" DPP legislative caucus whip William Lai (
Lai also criticized the comparison between the EU and the situation between Taiwan and China.
"Within the EU there are no enemies and therefore it is totally different from the relationship between Taiwan and China," Lai said.
Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (
"If he really meant it, he would withdraw all the missiles aimed at Taiwan," Wang said.
Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang
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