Critics of the government’s economic policies yesterday rebutted its claims that Taiwan’s economy would suffer unless it forged closer economic ties with China.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has said the country would see another 110,000 workers lose their jobs and GDP drop by another 1 percentage point if it did not sign a cross-strait comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA), which Ma renamed “economic cooperation framework agreement” (ECFA) on Friday.
“We do not know what documentation or research Ma based those economic figures on,” Taiwan Thinktank chairman Chen Po-chih (陳博志) said at a press conference yesterday.
Citing the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, Chen said that GDP would see a long-term drop of 0.15 percent after the ASEAN Plus One (China) free-trade zone is launched. Citing the same research, Chen said GDP would shrink 0.98 percent after the ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan and South Korea) free-trade zone begins.
The ASEAN Plus Three zone will cut Taiwan’s exports by 1.58 percentage points, Chen said, adding that this was only a drop in the bucket compared with the 40 percent plunge in exports in recent months.
“Without citing the source of his figures, Ma’s use of them frightens people and the purpose of this is to force the public to accept his proposed economic arrangement with China,” he said.
Forty percent of the nation’s exports go to China and these shipments dropped 38 percent in November, Chen said, adding that the economy had suffered as a result of relying too heavily on one country.
If Beijing really wants to show goodwill as Ma has said, it should not block Taiwan from joining the ASEAN free-trade zone rather than pushing it to forge closer economic ties with China alone, he said.
Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) questioned Ma’s motives for pushing for an economic pact so soon.
Citing protests in South Korea against importing US beef, Tsai said the government should not ignore mounting public discontent over the matter.
At a separate setting yesterday, former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said any economic agreement with China should be based on the principles of equality and democracy.
The government should also make the details of any proposal public rather than reaching a deal behind closed doors.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS