KMT Vice Chairman Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) yesterday predicted that the accession of Taiwan and China to the WTO will help the development of cross-strait relations.
Siew, who also heads a private group promoting the establishment of a cross-strait common market, made the remark in a seminar on cross-strait relations.
Siew said Taiwan and China will be subject to global standards under the WTO framework and will gain a number of economic and trade cooperation opportunities.
Siew proposed that the two countries put aside their political disputes and instead focus on economic interaction, reasoning that positive interaction would naturally help alleviate the political deadlock.
Taiwan possesses a sound economic framework and will be in a better position in the global economy to face competition from China, Siew said.
In addition, Siew said the domestic politics of Taiwan was a crucial factor responsible for its economic instability and urged authorities concerned to break the political stalemate.
Siew, a former premier who was appointed by President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as a vice chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Conference held in late August, again offered to share his thoughts with the DPP to assist the government in improving the economy.
At a separate seminar hosted by the People First Party on the government's preparation for WTO membership, Fu Dong-cheng (
As the WTO is a non-political organization which clearly outlines the rights and obligations of its member nations, it provides a good opportunity for cross-strait talks, Fu said.
Fu rejected an allegation that the government is trying to make cross-strait relations an international issue by discussing cross-strait dialogue within the WTO framework.
New Party legislator Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆), however, doubted if the MAC's efforts to restart dialogue with China would succeed given Beijing's long-standing position to treat cross-strait dialogue as part of its internal affairs.
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