A civic watchdog group yesterday called on the government to disclose key information on a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, which the group said the government has so far kept secret.
In a meeting with Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday, chairman of the non-profit Citizen Congress Watch Ku Chung-hua (顧忠華) said the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), as the governing party, has an “undeniable responsibility” to make its information concerning the proposed pact public.
He was referring to the DPP's request on Wednesday night that the Presidential Office provide information, including an “early harvest list” proposed separately by both Taiwan and China, the agreement's content, and studies commissioned by the government analyzing the impact of the ECFA. The DPP said the information was crucial ahead of a debate between President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Tsai scheduled to take place on April 25.
“While the government has a need for some secrecy during the negotiations, it still has to provide enough information [on the agreement] in order to answer public concerns,” Ku said.
“If the government does not provide [the public] with adequate information or is unilaterally committed to signing the agreement, [we] will have concerns on whether the debate has any real value,” he said.
“If this information is not provided, it is the same as Tsai debating with her eyes closed,” he added.
Tsai, who renewed calls that the ECFA should be subject to a referendum as it would help resolve the public divide over the controversial agreement, said she was “disappointed” with the government's continued cover-up of the negotiations on the proposed trade pact.
Apparently unconvinced, Presidential Office Spokesman Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) lashed out at Tsai and the DPP for asking the Presidential Office for information, while refusing to provide information requested by the office.
Lo was referring to the requests that the Presidential Office put forward to the DPP in response to the opposition's three requests. The Presidential Office asked the DPP to make known its preferred items in the “early harvest” list and its alternative solution to the possible economic challenges Taiwan would be facing if the nation did not sign an ECFA with China.
“Chairperson Tsai never mentioned the DPP's alternative solution to the crisis Taiwan would face if an ECFA was not signed, and I am afraid that we are the one who will be debating in the dark,” Lo said.
A lot of information on an ECFA has already been made public, Lo said, adding the Mainland Affairs Council and the Ministry of Economic Affairs would offer more public information to the DPP.
Responding to the Presidential Office's latest comments, DPP officials yesterday said the president “seemed to have forgotten” that the opposition is responsible for monitoring government policies instead of implementing them.
“The KMT right now has complete governance, as a result, they have the power and responsibility to explain properly to the public how they are going to make Taiwan better,” DPP Spokesperson Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) said.
“Of course the DPP has many thoughts on how government policy should be implemented, but the thing is we are not in government,” Lin said.
In related news, Chinese official and secretary-general of the Boao Forum for Asia Long Yongtu (龍永圖) was asked by Chinese reporters what China could do to Taiwanese doubts about the ECFA.
“There is no free lunch in the world, but I can give you my word that an ECFA will bring both sides of the Strait more advantages than disadvantages. It will bring enormous business opportunities to Taiwan,” he was quoted by the Central News Agency as saying.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
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