Thu, Mar 06, 2008 page3

• Presidential election 2008: 16 days to go: Siew defends term `one China market'

  `REMEDY' Siew said he used the term in a speech at Tamkang University in 2005 to clarify his vision and that his words had been twisted by Frank Hsieh's campaign team

  • By Mo Yan-chih / STAFF REPORTER
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  Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) vice presidential candidate Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) yesterday conceded that he had used the term "one China market" in discussing his "cross-strait common market" platform, but argued that his economic policy would not lead the country to unification with China.

  "I used the term `one China market' to explain the idea of a cross-strait common market. My policy concerned economic issues, but the rival camp has interpreted it from a political perspective," Siew told a press conference yesterday at campaign headquarters.

  Siew made the remarks in response to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rival Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) attack on the "cross-strait common market" platform. Hsieh said Siew's "one China market" would result in a higher unemployment rate and lower salaries in Taiwan, while leading to political unification with China.

  Siew said he mentioned a "one China market" in a speech at Tamkang University in December 2005 while explaining his "cross-strait common market" or "greater China market" vision.

  Siew said that his policy would prevent Taiwan from being marginalized economically by integrating the domestic economic market with China's.

  "China is the reason behind Taiwan's marginalization in the international economic market. The cross-strait common market would maximize opportunities and minimize the threat," he said.

  Siew used the term "one China market" during an interview with a Hong Kong magazine in 2005.

  Siew said his "cross-strait common market" would involve cross-strait economic negotiations on equal terms and seek to expand the nation's economy by gradually integrating it with China's.

  "My proposal would be an excellent remedy for the country's economy, but the DPP has portrayed it as a poison," he said.

  Siew said the success of the EU had inspired him to draw up his policy to push for peaceful cross-strait relations through economic ties.

  Siew said President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) had expressed approval of the idea at a launching ceremony for his "cross-strait common market" foundation in 2001, but now rejected his idea.

  Siew said that if elected, he would not allow poor-quality products and agricultural products from China into the domestic market, nor open the labor market to Chinese workers.

  Siew said he had promoted his vision of a "cross-strait common market" for more than seven years and would not change the name of his policy in response to controversy.

  At a separate setting yesterday, the DPP legislative caucus blasted Siew's "one China market," saying that it would only strengthen China.

  "They [China] have never stopped treating us like an enemy. What Ma and Siew are promoting seems to be `feeding the tiger meat,'" DPP legislative caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) said.

  Lai also criticized the comparison between the EU and the situation between Taiwan and China.

  "Within the EU there are no enemies and therefore it is totally different from the relationship between Taiwan and China," Lai said.

  Meanwhile, DPP Legislator Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) called into question Chinese President Hu Jintao's (胡錦濤) "expression of goodwill toward Taiwan" in a speech to the National People's Congress on Tuesday.

  "If he really meant it, he would withdraw all the missiles aimed at Taiwan," Wang said.

  Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang
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