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Join today for free. www.ChnLove.cn Taipei Times - archives Fri, Jan 22, 2010 News Editorials 646683202 visits Front Page * ECFA ‘just the beginning’: Ma * ROC air force plane transits in US on way to Haiti * Rescue workers in Haiti refusing to give up hope * Copy errors mar climate report, IPCC apologizes * ‘New York Times’ to charge some for Web access in 2011 Taiwan News * Ma endorses King’s policy involvement * Ma’s approval, confidence ratings drop to new low * Civic groups invite Ma to open debate on ECFA * INTERVIEW: Haiti devastated, but things will get better, God willing * MOFA needs to be more careful in beef talks: Tseng * DPP councilors, victims’ relatives pan name change * GIO threatens lawsuit against public TV chief * Study points to likelihood of 7.0 temblor in 50 years * Labor agency may ease rules on hiring foreign workers * Cabinet approves bill on breastfeeding in public * Commission touts local culture in youth program * Suzanne Hsiao denies taking drugs * New call for civilians to head military * KMT legislator piqued by decision on H1N1 vaccine * Control Yuan cries foul over ‘excess’ revenue at CPC World News * Gates urges Pakistan to tackle Taliban * China plays down Google spat ahead of Clinton speech * Pakistani scientist on trial in US shrouded in mystery * Chinese teenage slayer viewed as hero * Chinese court jails exiled dissident * Yemen stops issuing visas at airports * Researchers claim death toll in DR Congo inflated * US lifts ban on Muslim academic * Human Rights Watch report criticizes African leaders for supporting Beshir * Former Italian PM says his trials are like ‘firing squads’ * Zelaya says he may leave country at end of mandate * Job to be Obama’s No. 1 priority * Police station is new base for Haitian government * US prepares Gitmo for Haitian migrants * Muslims angry over US military ‘Jesus’ scopes * Suspect arrested in killings of eight in US, police say * More bias in US against Muslims than other faiths * World News Quick Take Editorials * EDITORIAL : To forgive or not to forgive * Ma is pursuing a personal agenda * The silver lining in the PTS crisis * Aiming for FTAs that would help Taiwan * More men get economic boost from marriage * Liberals become professors, not vice versa: study * In US’ cyberwar, Google is on the front line Sports * AUSTRALIAN OPEN: Federer shows he’s still king of court * Arsenal dig deep to go top, Reds beat Spurs * Tseng scoops SBL award after stellar performances * Egypt down Benin 2-0 to maintain 100% record * Boozer leads Jazz to rare victory in San Antonio * LA Dodgers set to reveal if Rodriguez is coming to Taiwan * Sixers’ Dalembert returns from Haiti * Devils edge Panthers, close on East lead * Mishra and Sharma shape India win * Politicians fan flames in cricket row * Bertsch racks up birdies to grab Bob Hope Classic lead * O’Neill proud as Villa come of age in 10-goal Cup thriller * Soccer Shorts Business * Far Eastern shares tumble by daily limit * Most outlet stores miss label target * Taiwan rises eight notches on economic freedom index * Central bank rebuts NT dollar media speculation * Citibank to post NT$11bn in revenues * GM Europe closing down Opel factory in Antwerp * Evertrust’s luxury sales leap 30% * Global IT spending to grow 5 percent in 2010: Gartner * Business Briefs World Business * Chinese economy grows, but prices rise * Growth may wilt as stimulus fades: report * eBay beats Wall Street estimates * Obama set to propose new size limits for US banks * Apple may replace Google with Bing as iPhone default search engine: report * Starbucks rallies with sales jump, looks to overseas * World Business Quick Take Features * Mando-pop’s poetess lets loose * [ CULTURE ] Books, books and more books * POP STOP * POETRY: Time and stage space — and don’t forget the wine * RESTAURANTS : Yun Zhi Tai 雲之泰 * RESTAURANTS : Niu Gonggong 牛公公 * TIDBITS * MUSIC : At the edge of the city ... and sanity * THE VINYL WORD * FILM REVIEW: The rise & fall of the house of Buddenbrooks * FILM REVIEW: Dealing with the devil * OTHER RELEASES * EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT Bilingual Pages * BUSINESS ENGLISH   Photo News   More Editorials   Johnny Neihu     Community Compass   Back Issue    << >>    Full List TaipeiTimes    Subscribe    Advertise    Employment   FAQ    About Us    Contact Us    Copyright Search Most Read Story Most Viewed Photo Enter your search terms Submit search form Taipei Times  Print  Mail  wiki links Aiming for FTAs that would help Taiwan By Michael Danielsen Friday, Jan 22, 2010, Page 8 A world of free-trade agreements (FTA) will open to Taiwan and the nation will enjoy greater international space if it just signs an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China. At least, that’s the pipe dream the government is trying to sell. Here’s a reality check: The government will only be pursuing FTAs with countries that have already inked FTAs with China. This is the impression President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) gave when he said, according to a report in the China Times on Jan. 12: “As long as other nations have already signed FTAs with the mainland, Beijing will have no objections if these countries wish to discuss similar deals with Taiwan.” China’s acceptance is apparently key — this is not the same as allowing Taiwan more international space. On the contrary, it seems to reduce Taiwan to a province of China. Thus, this policy fits well with the grand strategy of unification. The time is simply not ripe yet for unification, the KMT says. Nevertheless the government seems to be headed unfalteringly in this direction and hoping that time is on its side. The consequences of a China-leaning FTA policy will not only hurt Taiwan’s sovereignty, but also its economic development. International experience shows that the most effective economic integration is done between countries at an equal development stage. An FTA between Taiwan and the EU, for example, would benefit both parties. Taiwan would be able to improve its already competitive services in the finance, business and engineering sectors, while the EU would benefit from technological cooperation. This would advance Taiwan’s knowledge economy. Danish consultancy firm Copenhagen Economics estimates that an FTA would generate 20 billion euros (US$28 billion) over 10 years for the EU, while Taiwan’s GDP would grow 1.2 percent. China trails Taiwan in industrial sophistication, so linking Taiwan’s economic freedom to FTA agreements China has signed with other countries would not necessarily advance the competitiveness of Taiwanese industries. China and the EU have no FTA, and therefore, Taiwan would not be allowed to enter into negotiations with the EU. Nor does it help that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) seems rather uninterested in the EU. This, despite South Korea’s recent FTA with the EU and the announcement that Singapore and the EU agreed to start negotiations on an FTA. This KMT policy will exacerbate Taiwan’s isolation and its disappearance into a coming cross-strait market envisioned by the KMT, which will easily become a Greater China Market including China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. This will be a “one country, four systems” model. Taiwan will not be able to escape this fate if it signs an unstrategic agreement bound by Chinese tunnel vision. An ECFA with China is not necessarily a bad idea, but it all depends on the content and the room for maneuver that it leaves Taiwan in terms of seeking deals with other countries. There are countless reasons to be pragmatic when dealing with China. There is no reason to be irresponsible and short-sighted. The 2012 presidential election will not only concern economic and political integration with China but also the nation’s international status and democratic future. Taiwan’s democracy would not survive political integration with China. Michael Danielsen is the chairman of Taiwan Corner. This story has been viewed 892 times. Advertising Copyright © 1999-2010 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.