Taiwans premiärminister om ekonomin och avtal med Kina

PRESS RELEASE

Government Information Office

January 12, 2010

Premier’s New Year Resolutions: Resurgent Economy, Cross-strait Peace and Social Unity

Premier Wu Den-yih declared his New Year’s resolutions during a New Year’s press conference held on January 8. As winter gives way to spring, he expressed hopes for a revitalized economy, for peaceful, “win-win” development of cross-strait relations, for social cohesion and for Taiwan to shine on the world stage.

The premier said that although Taiwan’s economy felt the effects of the global financial crisis in 2009, import and export figures are already showing positive growth and the economy is gradually recovering vigor through the concerted efforts of the government, banks, businesses and the people. The government previously assisted private-sector investment in the fourth-stage Central Taiwan Science-based Industrial Park expansion project, the Guoguang Petrochemical Co. project and the fifth-stage construction project for the Sixth Naphtha Cracking Plant of Formosa Plastics. In 2010, the government will further invest NT$30 billion (US$944.2 million) in six emerging industries—biotechnology, green energy, tourism, medical care, high-end agriculture and cultural creativity. It will also promote the development of cloud computing, inventions and patents, intelligent electric vehicles and intelligent green buildings.

The government expects that it will be possible for the two sides of the Taiwan Strait to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) in May of this year, the premier said. However, there are three major preconditions: national need, public support and legislative oversight; and it will only be signed with the consent of both sides. No ECFA will be signed if the Legislative Yuan does not assent or if the public does not support it, nor can one be signed if the Chinese mainland is unfriendly. Premier Wu said the government has gained considerable public support, but there remains room for further effort by using more diversified, thorough and effective methods to familiarize the public with the ECFA. To secure legislative support and understanding, from January 20 onward, after contact between the competent authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, the government plans to report to the Legislative Yuan on the progress and content of negotiations at least once a month or whenever there is progress.

With regard to allowing Taiwan LCD panel and silicon chipmakers to invest in the Chinese mainland, Premier Wu stated that the Ministry of Economic Affairs is preparing a briefing and that greater detailed guidelines and verification standards will soon be forthcoming. The principle will be to retain a fixed proportion of the technology in Taiwan while taking into consideration the potential lost business and diminished competitiveness for Taiwan businesses of not expanding westward across the Taiwan Strait. The government will allow businesses that meet these standards to invest in mainland China.