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Presidential election 2008: 16 days to go: Ma promises new ministry, reform of shipping tax rules

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday promised to review shipping taxes and establish a Ministry of Ocean Affairs to improve shipping policies if elected on March 22.

"The Democratic Progressive Party vowed to develop the nation as an `Ocean State,' but that promise has not been realized. If elected, I will turn Taiwan into a new ocean state," Ma said during a meeting with representatives from the shipping industry at National Taiwan University Alumni Center.

Evergreen Group (長榮集團) vice chairman Lin Shing-san (林省三), who did not attend, issued a written statement agreeing with shipping tycoons who were at the meeting, including former CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) chairman Lu Feng-hai (盧峰海) and Chinese Maritime Transport (中國航運) president John Peng (彭蔭剛), who accused the government of ignoring shipping policy. The tycoons also called on the next government to reform tax regulations for shipping.

FLYING THE ROC FLAG

Lin said that incentives such as tax exemptions and low-interest loans for building vessels for shipping proprietors would encourage more Taiwanese ships to fly the Republic of China (ROC) flag. Increasing the fleet of Taiwanese-registered ships would mean having more vessels to call upon to transport supplies in case of war.

Ma promised to introduce a tonnage-based tax system for shippers, adding that this system was in use in major maritime countries.

The industry representatives also urged the next president to allow shipping companies in Taiwan and China to set up branches across the Taiwan Strait and send ships between the two countries flying the ROC and Chinese flags.

In response, Ma said only "this is a big issue and we need to negotiate with China. I can't give you my promise," he said.

HU JINTAO

Meanwhile, Ma said it would not be a bad thing for Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) to meet advocates of Taiwanese independence, after Hu said he would consider such a meeting.

Ma also said China should stop oppressing Taiwan on the international stage.

"China should realize that it is because of its continuous oppression of Taiwan's international space that many people advocate Taiwanese independence," Ma said when asked to comment on Hu's remarks.
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