President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) should be treated as a treaty undergoing legislative deliberation, and therefore should take effect after advancing to the second reading.
The ECFA, although not a treaty in nature because the Republic of China Constitution does not acknowledge China as a country, could be handled as a treaty when proceeding to the legislature for deliberation, Ma said, adding that it would not be necessary for the pact to pass a third reading in the legislature because it is neither a budget bill nor a law.
Ma also said he opposed the legislature’s deliberation of every clause in the ECFA, saying that reviewing the ECFA article by article would set a bad example.
“When we joined the WTO in 2002, the legislature discussed the general treaty, rather than reviewing every clause. You can either approve or oppose the whole treaty, but should not make changes to the clauses. It would set a very bad example; no country would want to sign economic agreements with us [after that],” Ma, in his capacity as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, said at KMT headquarters.
The KMT yesterday instructed the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and other government agencies to provide reports on the benefits of the ECFA and post-ECFA plans.
MAC Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) said that the government had defended the national interest in signing the ECFA with China, pointing to the inclusion of a clause authorizing either party to terminate the pact.
However, the clause does not stipulate on what grounds a suspension may be proposed.
Ma lauded the MAC and other government bodies for their hard work in negotiating and signing the ECFA with China, while dismissing fears by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that the ECFA could bring about a “one China market.”
“We and mainland China do not have the same tariffs, and so there’s no such thing as a ‘one China market’ ... The DPP’s criticism of the time and location where the ECFA was signed is also meaningless,” he said.
In his capacity as president, Ma will hold a press conference today with local and international news agencies to announce the government’s economic strategies in the post-ECFA era.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old