The Taiwan Thinktank yesterday urged the government to postpone the implementation of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) it wants to sign with Beijing until Taiwan signs free trade agreements (FTAs) with the US or Japan and they go into effect.
Taiwan Thinktank chairman Chen Po-chih (陳博志) said Taiwan would be better off if the ECFA were not signed, but if it is signed, it would be better to wait until after Taipei inks FTAs with Washington or Tokyo and they become effective.
Chen said it was difficult to say whether Taiwan would benefit more if it inked FTAs with as many countries as possible, but the ECFA would deal a significant blow to businesses if it were signed.
“Globalization and liberalization do not necessarily benefit Taiwan,” he said. “We must be cautious when we negotiate FTAs with Japan, the US and other countries, but we will be doomed if we sign an ECFA with China.”
Taipei and Beijing have agreed to “exchange opinions” on the proposed pact during high-level talks in Taichung next month. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) hopes to sign the ECFA next year.
Chiou Jiunn-rong (邱俊榮), an economics professor at the National Central University, urged the Ma administration to resume negotiations on FTAs, especially with Singapore, and a trade and investment framework agreement with the US, as soon as possible.
Even if Singapore eventually signs an FTA with Taiwan, Chiou said, Taiwan should not be too happy because it might be a Chinese scheme to help the Ma administration win support from voters.
He urged that a referendum be held before the ECFA is signed, at least 10 televised debates be held and opinions solicited from national and regional unions.
To help businesses excluded from the planned “early harvest” article of the ECFA, Chiou proposed the government set up a fund in excess of NT$30 billion (US$9 billion) to compensate them for losses.
He also suggested the government levy high taxes on businesses benefiting from the “early harvest” program and use the revenues to compensate industries hit hard by the pact.
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