President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday urged the businesses not included in the “early harvest” list of a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with Beijing not to fret, saying a second-wave early harvest list would come soon.
“We do not rule out such a possibility,” he told reporters at the Presidential Office during a lunch for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated today.
The early harvest list refers to goods and services that will be subject to immediate tariff concessions or exemptions, which are expected to form the backbone of the proposed deal.
Ma said the administration would proceed with an ECFA with Beijing gradually and that the accord would be signed in a piecemeal manner.
“Many think the negotiations are over, but they are not,” he said. “There is so much more to talk about.”
Taipei and Beijing concluded the third round of negotiations on an ECFA in Beijing on Monday, but did not finalize the early harvest lists.
Both sides were tight-lipped about whether there would be a fourth round of talks and when it would take place.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Monday that China would offer tariff exemptions or reductions on about 500 items from Taiwan, while about 200 Chinese products would enjoy similar tariff concessions when entering the Taiwanese market.
Ma declined to describe the ratio, which ostensibly favors Taiwan, as a “victory,” saying the value of the items was more important than the number of items, and that the issue was “more complicated” than simply the number and value of the items to be included.
“The items we are negotiating now are those allowed to enter each other’s markets, but don’t forget we still ban more than 1,400 items from China,” he said.
Asked whether the pact would be signed this month, Ma said it was possible, but emphasized it hinges on when the two sides reach a consensus on the final items of the early harvest program.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus said it would call two extra legislative sessions by the middle of August to review the proposed ECFA.
KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Hung-chih (林鴻池) said he expected the first session to be held in the middle of next month, but the legislature may not be able to complete the review until the second session in August because it might rule to put the agreement to cross-party negotiations.
Some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers attended a briefing at the legislature by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on the third round of talks on an ECFA, reportedly at the personal invitation of Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平).
During the meeting, it was announced that the number of Chinese products set to receive preferential treatment would be about 250, an increase of 50 from the previous day.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG AND VINCENT Y. CHAO
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