The government’s free economic pilot zones (FEPZs) project is an “empty” policy that showcases the fundamental error that President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration has made in its move to revive the nation’s economy, Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday in Greater Taichung.
“The FEPZ project could serve as a policy tool and a supplementary measure to stimulate the domestic economy, but it should be goal-oriented and selective,” Tsai said in her opening remarks at a party policy meeting aimed at discussing key agenda for the extra legislative session that begins on Friday.
In a nutshell, Tsai said the project, which aims to attract foreign — in particular Chinese — investments, lacks substance and is only focused on deregulation and further market opening.
The policy aims to set up free economic pilot zones in Keelung Port, Suao Port in Yilan County, Taipei Port, Taichung Port, Anping Port in Greater Tainan, Kaohsiung Port, the Taoyuan Aerotropolis in Taoyuan County and the Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park to serve as models for business convenience and liberalization.
However, not only was the plan hastily drafted, but it would also invest a planned administrative authority with too much power — including environmental protection, labor affairs, construction, commercial registration, licensing, taxation and personnel — without regard for national security and its environmental impact, Tsai said.
Moreover, the planning for various sectors are questionable, Tsai said, adding that liberalizing Chinese agricultural imports would be a grave mistake.
“The DPP argues that the grand strategy for Taiwan’s economy should be promoting industrial upgrading and transformation, and developing several core industries with national resources, not encouraging the establishment of FEPZs across the country,” she said.
The DPP also reached a consensus on two issues on the first day of the two-day meeting, which brought together party officials and more than 20 lawmakers to discuss policies and a unified position for the extra legislative session.
On the reviews of nominees for the Control Yuan and Examination Yuan, DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said the party would try to resolve the issue on several fronts, including proposing an amendment to reduce the number of Examination Yuan members and a constitutional amendment to eliminate the two branches of government.
With regards to the monitoring mechanism for cross-strait agreements, Wu said the DPP would submit its own version to rival the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) and insist on a clause-by-clause screening.
The extra session could be “the toughest extra session in history” because the KMT might try to push through several major legislations and policies, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said, adding that it might take more than two extra sessions to handle those agenda.
Mayors and commissioners of DPP-governed administrative zones or their deputies are expected to join the meeting today to discuss the cross-strait service trade agreement and the pilot zones — a pair of thorny yet important issues awaiting to be resolved in the legislature.
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