The National Taiwan University Student Association (NTUSA) yesterday said it was disappointed that Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) declined a challenge from students to debate whether Taiwan should sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, instead asking Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) to “explain” the ECFA to students.
Student associations from National Taiwan University (NTU), National Chengchi University and National Taiwan Normal University invited the premier to debate on whether signing an ECFA with China would benefit Taiwan, especially in the areas of employment opportunities for youth and the development of human rights. However, Wu did not accept the invitation.
‘REGRET’
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
“We regret that Wu, an NTU alumnus, declined to accept our challenge to a debate on an ECFA,” NTUSA spokeswoman Jane Tang (唐家婕) told reporters outside the forum yesterday. “Wu said that the Minister of Economic Affairs may be more knowledgeable on the issue, but we think an ECFA is not only about economic issues and Wu should be the person who knows most because he is the head of the government.”
Tang said the group had tried to invite heads of several government agencies, but only Shih agreed to take part.
Although the Minister of Economic Affairs agreed to come, the ministry said it would prefer to simply describe what an ECFA was, what its impacts would be, and what may happen if Taiwan did or did not sign such an agreement with China, Tang said.
“It’s very unfortunate,” she said.
PRESENTATION
In a 30-minute presentation, Shih said that with an increasing number of countries — especially in East Asia — forming trade blocs by signing free-trade agreements (FTA) and regional-trade agreements, Taiwan risked being left out of the global trade system.
“We should sign am ECFA — a type of FTA — with China because it’s our biggest trading partner,” Shih told the forum. “Signing an ECFA with China would help Taiwanese businesses grab a bigger share of the Chinese market; it would also enhance the chance of signing FTAs with other countries in the future.”
Shih said that an ECFA, like other FTAs, would be submitted to legislative review before going into force.
NEGATIVE
He said that an ECFA with China may have a negative impact on some Taiwanese industries, but added that the impact could be overcome if Taiwan continues to develop technology.
However, Taiwan Thinktank chairman Chen Po-chih (陳博志), an economist who also attended the forum, disagreed.
“The minister stressed the benefits too much, but avoided talking in more detail about the negative impacts of an ECFA,” Chen said. “He said that Taiwan could overcome the challenges [after signing an ECFA] via technological innovations, but he didn’t say what the government would do to help.”
Chen said he was worried that once the trade barrier is lifted, Taiwanese businesses would move to China to cut production costs instead of investing in technological innovation.
‘NOT ALLOWED’
“Besides, Chinese officials clearly said on April 14 that they would not allow Taiwan to sign FTAs with other countries — maybe we should include a clause in an ECFA saying that it would only become effective once Taiwanese FTAs with the US, Japan, or Europe become effective,” he said.
Asked by reporters to respond to Chen’s comments, Shih only said the government was working to sign FTAs with other countries.
The National Taiwan University Student Association (NTUSA) yesterday said it was disappointed that Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) declined a challenge from students to debate whether Taiwan should sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, instead asking Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang (施顏祥) to “explain” the ECFA to students.
Student associations from National Taiwan University (NTU), National Chengchi University and National Taiwan Normal University invited the premier to debate on whether signing an ECFA with China would benefit Taiwan, especially in the areas of employment opportunities for youth and the development of human rights. However, Wu did not accept the invitation.
‘REGRET’
“We regret that Wu, an NTU alumnus, declined to accept our challenge to a debate on an ECFA,” NTUSA spokeswoman Jane Tang (唐家婕) told reporters outside the forum yesterday. “Wu said that the Minister of Economic Affairs may be more knowledgeable on the issue, but we think an ECFA is not only about economic issues and Wu should be the person who knows most because he is the head of the government.”
Tang said the group had tried to invite heads of several government agencies, but only Shih agreed to take part.
Although the Minister of Economic Affairs agreed to come, the ministry said it would prefer to simply describe what an ECFA was, what its impacts would be, and what may happen if Taiwan did or did not sign such an agreement with China, Tang said.
“It’s very unfortunate,” she said.
PRESENTATION
In a 30-minute presentation, Shih said that with an increasing number of countries — especially in East Asia — forming trade blocs by signing free-trade agreements (FTA) and regional-trade agreements, Taiwan risked being left out of the global trade system.
“We should sign am ECFA — a type of FTA — with China because it’s our biggest trading partner,” Shih told the forum. “Signing an ECFA with China would help Taiwanese businesses grab a bigger share of the Chinese market; it would also enhance the chance of signing FTAs with other countries in the future.”
Shih said that an ECFA, like other FTAs, would be submitted to legislative review before going into force.
NEGATIVE
He said that an ECFA with China may have a negative impact on some Taiwanese industries, but added that the impact could be overcome if Taiwan continues to develop technology.
However, Taiwan Thinktank chairman Chen Po-chih (陳博志), an economist who also attended the forum, disagreed.
“The minister stressed the benefits too much, but avoided talking in more detail about the negative impacts of an ECFA,” Chen said. “He said that Taiwan could overcome the challenges [after signing an ECFA] via technological innovations, but he didn’t say what the government would do to help.”
Chen said he was worried that once the trade barrier is lifted, Taiwanese businesses would move to China to cut production costs instead of investing in technological innovation.
‘NOT ALLOWED’
“Besides, Chinese officials clearly said on April 14 that they would not allow Taiwan to sign FTAs with other countries — maybe we should include a clause in an ECFA saying that it would only become effective once Taiwanese FTAs with the US, Japan, or Europe become effective,” he said.
Asked by reporters to respond to Chen’s comments, Shih only said the government was working to sign FTAs with other countries.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
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