Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (溫家寶) said yesterday that a free-trade-style deal with Taiwan would spare the nation’s much smaller economy, as China tries to calm fears the agreement could lead to a flood of cheap imports.
Wen, speaking at his annual news conference, said the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) would hurt neither Taiwan’s farmers nor small businesses.
“I believe that in negotiating this agreement, we need to consider the size of the economy and trade conditions as well as the interests of both sides,” he said. “We need to keep in mind Taiwan’s small businesses and ordinary people, and the interests of farmers in Taiwan.”
Taiwan’s stock and currency markets have gained on signs that, despite decades of hostility, export-reliant Taiwan is moving closer to economic powerhouse China.
“We are working to ensure that the people of Taiwan benefit from tariff conditions and early harvest programs,” Wen said.
“Relevant arrangements will also be made to help reassure farmers in Taiwan,” he said.
Wen said he was optimistic about the new trade deal.
“Negotiations are complex, but differences between brothers cannot sever blood ties. Problems can always be solved,” he said.
“On ECFA, we’ve said before that it will not involve opening the market to Chinese agricultural products,” Deputy Mainland Affairs Council Minister Liu Te-shun (劉德勳) said when asked about Wen’s remarks. “In that sense ... we’re on the same page.”
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says the pact could flood Taiwan with cheap Chinese goods.
“The Chinese side is trying to help [President] Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) so that the DPP cannot play this card against the KMT again,” said George Tsai (蔡瑋), a political scientist at the Chinese Culture University.
“They are aware that the DPP is playing this card in the local elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wen reiterated his hope to visit Taiwan one day.
“I still would very much like to visit Taiwan one day,” he said.
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