Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) yesterday voiced his support for the cross-strait service trade agreement and dismissed claims that he opposed the pact, while urging the government to address public concerns about possible adverse impacts before implementing the deal.
Hau is in Shanghai for the annual Taipei-Shanghai City Forum.
During his meeting with Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun (張志軍) on Tuesday, Hau said the service trade agreement has sparked disputes in Taiwan, and the two sides of the Taiwan Strait should resolve the disputes and make specific promises to address concerns.
“I do not oppose the cross-strait service trade agreement. I think the agreement is crucial for cross-strait economic development. However, some Taiwanese were concerned about the pact, and I suggested that China make solid promises in response to those concerns,” Hau said in Shanghai.
Both Taiwan and China should work on addressing concerns about the possible impacts of the agreement on the service industry in Taiwan following its signing on June 21. Such efforts will also enhance mutual trust between the two sides and benefit cross-strait development, he said.
During his meeting with Chang, Hau also urged China to handle cross-strait political issues with patience and flexibility.
“The Republic of China [ROC] is based on the consensus of the majority of people in Taiwan. The Taiwanese people are concerned about the ROC being eliminated by the mainland, and I think the mainland should dismiss such concerns in order to have effective political talks with us,” he said.
Hau yesterday attended a forum with business representatives from both sides that discussed the development of different industries across the Taiwan Strait.
He and Shanghai Mayor Yang Xiong (楊雄) are scheduled to jointly open the Taipei-Shanghai City Forum today, and sign four memorandums of understanding on issues concerning district administration, libraries and a citizen service hotline.
Hau is to depart for Russia tomorrow to attend the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.
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