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ECFA core issue at talks: SEF chairman

OPTIMISTIC: Chiang Pin-kung was confident that the cross-strait detente would continue to develop despite the recent furor over US arms sales to Taiwan

By Jenny W. hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Tuesday, Feb 09, 2010, Page 3

Speaking at the SEF’s year-end press conference, Chiang touted the cross-strait developments over the past year and dubbed the 12 agreements signed since November 2008 as “highways” in providing added convenience for the people of Taiwan and China.

“The core negotiations this year will be on the ECFA, followed by intellectual property rights and avoidance of dual taxation,” Chiang said.

Preliminary EFCA negotiations were held last month in Beijing. The SEF said no dates and locations have been set for the second round of talks.

Chiang said the progress of the cross-strait talks is following the outline both sides have agreed upon — starting with more straight-forward topics such as economics and working toward thornier issues such as politics.

While the opposition has heavily criticized the government for making secret concessions and forging backroom deals with Beijing, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has repeatedly said the ECFA talks will be held in an open and transparent manner.

“The ECFA negotiation process will be monitored by the media, the legislature and the public. Everyone will see that the talks suit the interests of Taiwan and that both sides are treated equally,” Chiang said.

The Presidential Office will call a press conference today at which the president will speak on the controversial trade deal.

On the issue of the possibility of the SEF and its counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, establishing representative offices on either side of the Taiwan Strait, Chiang said the idea has been put forward but that the SEF was still waiting for further instructions from the government.

Chiang was non-committal when asked about Taiwan’s willingness to allow China-based newspapers to set up bureaus in Taiwan and whether the government would demand Beijing treat Taiwanese prisoners more humanely, saying the Mainland Affairs Council was responsible for these matters.

The chairman was also confident that the cross-strait detente would continue to develop despite recent US arms sales to Taiwan.

Washington’s latest decision to sell US$6.4 billion worth of military equipment to Taipei has angered Beijing, which has protested by suspending military dialogue with Washington and threatened to take sanctions against US companies involved in the sale.

SEF statistics show cross-strait exchanges have increased considerably since the Ma government took office in May 2008.

Last year alone, more than 4 million Taiwanese visited China while Taiwan received roughly 960,000 Chinese tourists, bringing a total of NT$36 billion (US$1.12 billion) in revenue, the SEF said, quoting the Tourism Bureau.

The SEF failed to mention China’s temporary ban on tourists visiting Kaoshiung in September last year as a form of retaliation against the decision by Kaoshiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and other local politicians to invite the Dalai Lama to Taiwan.

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