USERID_33224 Loading... Free China Economy Report What will China be doing with their economy in the new year? MoneyMorning.com/China_Economy Taiwan tea The King of Formosa Oolong. 100% from Alishan, Taiwan. www.alishanleaf.com Newspaper International Herald Tribune Free 4 Week Trial Offer IHT.com Love with chinese women Girls and women from China searching for love www.chinesekisses.com Taipei Times - archives Thu, Jul 09, 2009 News Editorials 646658379 visits Front Page * More than 100 generals in graft probe * Hu abandons G8 summit to deal with Xinjiang * Fears raised over official’s daughter studying in PRC * Google targets Microsoft with operating system * Costa Rican Nobel laureate to mediate in Honduras talks Taiwan News * Chen Chih-chung testifies as witness * Groups in US call for release of former president * DPP bars party members from forum in China * Education ministry planning to allow students from PRC, with restrictions * Ministry changes name regulations for naturalization * Taipei government draws flak over bus station plan * DOH warns fast food stores over 'carcinogenic' oil * Yeh says limits on US beef to be eased soon * Foundation says government is risking public health * Telecom carriers cannot offer mobile adult content: NCC * EPA identifies worst areas affected by midges * New employment rules expand jobs to disabled * Parents to rally for free 12-year education plan * FEATURE : ‘Old Tree Mother’ works to save ancient trees * Tainan researchers find possible cancer weak link * Chingshui Rest Area meets safety criteria: bureau * Taiwan News Quick Take World News * Kadeer says 400 killed in Xinjiang * Internet plays key role in Uighur unrest * Kadeeer: From poverty to Uighur leadership, exile * Exit polls give Yudhoyono second term * Ahmadinejad declares new era for country * Few rally for Anwar as trial delayed * FEATURE : Algeria sponsors Sufism to counter extremism * UK research team claims to create human sperm * Jackson feted at two-hour show * New flu virus emerges in Canada * Endangered species’ DNA stored at museum * Arctic ice thinned dramatically since 2004, NASA says * Palau calls for more US aid after Guantanamo deal * World News Quick Take Editorials * EDITORIAL: Lee’s gesture puts spotlight on Ma * Good education, made in Taiwan * TV talk show pundits’ bias has harmed media ethics * The yuan seeks converts * Democracy in Africa is often an illusion * Schwarzenegger legacy entwined with fiscal crisis * [LETTER] Sports * Armstrong closes in on yellow jersey * Australia strike first Ashes blows * Bolt sprints to fourth-fastest 200m * French police await autopsy after tennis player dies aged 24 * One-quarter of World Games tickets sold * Dodgers’ Ramirez ejected after tantrum * Ecclestone apologizes for Hitler comments * Oracle Racing relaunches huge America’s Cup boat * US LPGA wants to concentrate on Women’s Open * Lack of motive hampers probe of McNair murder * Gangloff top of the breaststroke * RUPA probes firing of Tuqiri * Anna Kournikova: From over-hyped athlete to ambassador for children * Cornet ousts Voskoboeva in first round at Budapest * Bangladesh hope to play Tests despite threat of boycott * Sports Briefs Business * CSBC forecasts steady revenues to 2013 * Q4 profit possible, says Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd * Tatung InfoComm to increase network investment * Ting Hsin International interested in more of TFCC * Evergreen to retire 31 aging ships * Economic uncertainty boosts factoring services * Far Eastern selling plastic beer bottles * BioTaiwan set to showcase nation’s biotech know-how * [BUSINESS BRIEFS] World Business * Rio Tinto official held as spy in China * G8 to sidestep debate on reserve currency * Machinery orders hit new low in recession-hit Japan * Singapore bans 10 firms from selling risky bonds * Pickens downsizes plan for giant wind project in Texas * World Business Quick Take Features * Ho-Hai-Yan: bigger and better? * Asia’s battle of the bulge Bilingual Pages * Paiwan and Rukai tattoo art fading fast 排灣魯凱紋手文化 嚴重「褪色」 * 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 [LETTER] Thursday, Jul 09, 2009, Page 8 An open response, part 2 On behalf of the Government of the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan, I am writing in response to the “Open letter to Taiwan’s president” cosigned by 26 persons and published by the Taipei Times on May 21 expressing concerns about transparency in our government’s cross-strait policymaking processes. I would like to take this opportunity to clear up a number of misunderstandings in this regard. 1. Affirmation of the ROC’s cross-strait policy In its cross-strait policymaking, this administration has always firmly upheld the ROC’s sovereignty. It has never changed and never will change its insistence on the principle of “putting Taiwan first for the benefit of the people.” In the overall national interest, we have resumed institutionalized cross-strait negotiations, replacing confrontation with dialogue. Under the precondition of parity and dignity, the two sides have conducted three rounds of talks and have signed nine agreements and a joint statement on investment, which have advanced the normalization of cross-strait economic exchanges and strengthened protections for the financial assets of the people of Taiwan. Surveys commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) — such as those conducted by National Chengchi University, Berkeley Marketing Research and China Credit Information Service — reveal that the majority of people in Taiwan believe that cross-strait relations have become more relaxed. About 70 percent of respondents were satisfied with the cross-strait agreements and more than 60 percent believe the agreements will have a positive influence on Taiwan’s economy. Meanwhile, most respondents think that national sovereignty has not been denigrated. The US State Department has solidly affirmed and praised our government’s mainland policies. Signatories of the open letter familiar with the US government’s hopes for better cross-strait relations should understand the reason for this. Can it be that worsening relations and rising tensions across the Taiwan Strait would be more advantageous to US interests? 2. No need for an ECFA referendum The primary purposes of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) are to maintain the competitive edge of Taiwan’s industries in the mainland market and to strengthen our foreign trade momentum so as to minimize the danger of being marginalized. A MAC-commissioned survey conducted by Berkeley Marketing Research in mid-April revealed that 70 percent of the respondents support the negotiation of an ECFA, indicating most people look at the potential benefits of such an agreement in a positive light. With no question of sacrificing sovereignty, benefits for Taiwan’s economy include reducing the relocation of factories to other countries and thereby protecting jobs; lowering tariffs on our products and thereby boosting their competitiveness in the mainland market; spurring Taiwan’s globalization; and facilitating the negotiation and signing of economic agreements with other countries. 3. Any ECFA will be sent to the legislature for review This administration has communicated extensively with the public in the hope that an ECFA can be signed before 2010. In the process of planning, the administration will be scrupulous in communicating with and explaining relevant matters to the legislature and all sectors of society. Whatever economic agreements are signed with mainland China will be sent to the legislature, in accordance with the law, for review and supervision. The same applies to any future cross-strait economic agreements. It is clearly untrue, therefore, that, as claimed in the letter, cross-strait exchanges lack transparency and genuine dialogue, decisions and agreements are arrived at in secrecy and then simply announced to the public, and the legislature seems to have been sidelined. 4. Signing an ECFA will facilitate FTAs The US government has indicated that without improved cross-strait relations and trade liberalization, the US cannot sign a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Taiwan. In fact, since President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) came into office, the peaceful, steady development of cross-strait relations has won the affirmation of our major trading partners, such as the US, the EU, Singapore, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Many countries have indicated that the normalization of economic and trade relations across the Taiwan Strait will be conducive to expediting FTA talks with Taiwan. The administration’s policy has always been to pursue FTAs with our major trading partners, while negotiating economic agreements with mainland China. This strategy is aimed at global deployment of our businesses, not just at expanding our mainland Chinese markets. As relations with mainland China progress, we can look forward to improved prospects for signing FTAs with other nations. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all who are concerned for Taiwan, including the signatories of the open letter. We assure you that this administration will continue to maintain transparency and adequate communication with all sectors of society. SU JUN-PIN Minister, Government Information Office This story has been viewed 1199 times. Advertising Copyright © 1999-2010 The Taipei Times. All rights reserved.