President Ma: ECFA to bring advantages to Asia

PRESS RELEASE

Government Information Office
April 20, 2010

President Ma: ECFA to bring advantages to Asia

In an interview with Agence France-Presse on April 15, President Ma Ying-jeou indicated that Taiwan hopes to sign a historic economic cooperation framework agreement with mainland China in June. Speaking of the advantages this could bring to Asia, the President also expressed that ECFA is only the first step, and that engaging in deeper trade and investment exchanges with the mainland in the future would reduce tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Taiwan’s competitors in Asia have been signing free trade agreements with each other over the past decade, Ma noted, with the effect of leaving Taiwan out in the cold. If the island does not catch up with the changing situation, the lifeline of its economy—exports—will meet with severe tariff barriers. After inking ECFA, Taiwan will first benefit from preferential tariff treatment and the protection of intellectual property rights, he added, describing a result of increased competitiveness for Taiwanese products on the world market and a stronger status for Taiwan in East Asia.

Regarding the development cross-strait relations, President Ma indicated that the two sides were at a historic juncture, and that his economic and trade policies with the mainland have put relations in their most stable state in over half a century. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Among other issues, the President noted that the Chinese mainland’s missile deployment is particularly critical as it poses a threat to all countries in East Asia. If something is done on that, a big impact will certainly be expected.