An economics official said yesterday that Taiwan and China could within two years conclude tariff reduction or exemption talks for more than 5,000 items not included on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) “early harvest” list.
“My understanding is that both sides [of the Taiwan Strait] want to conclude the talks at once” instead of setting up a second “early harvest” list, Bureau of Foreign Trade Director-General Bill Cho (卓士昭) said.
Taiwan and China signed the ECFA in June 2010. The pact took effect in September that year, with the “early harvest” program for tariff reductions or exemptions taking effect on Jan. 1 last year.
China has started removing tariffs on all Taiwanese goods and services on the early harvest list, which includes more than 500 items.
The tariff removal is being carried out in three phases over two years, with the tariff-free goal scheduled for completion by January next year.
During a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, Premier Sean Chen (陳冲) said that follow-up talks under the ECFA must continue, including talks on items not on the “early harvest list,” such as an investment protection pact and trade in the service sector, Cho said.
Cho said both sides want to have the long-stalled investment protection agreement signed in the eighth round of negotiations, reportedly set for the first half of this year.
He said that no industries had been ruled out of talks for the service sector, including education.
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