This afternoon, senior officials discussed cross-strait economic and trade affairs with about 30 members of the international media at Straight Talk, a teatime event at the Executive Yuan.
Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun hosted the event, and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin, National Development Council (NDC) Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey, Council of Agriculture (COA) Deputy Minister Chen Wen-te, and Tamkang University Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies Assistant Professor and former Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council Huang Chieh-cheng also spoke there.
In his opening remarks, Sun praised Shen, Kao, Chen and Huang for their expert knowledge and thanked the media for their participation. The spokesperson also remarked that he firmly believes Straight Talk, which is to become a regular event, will establish a positive model for interaction between the government and the foreign press.
"The Executive Yuan will proactively provide information about the government and help our international media friends receive official news firsthand," he pledged.
Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Shen noted that mainland China is the biggest recipient of overseas investment from Taiwan, the island's top export market and source of imports, as well as the second-biggest source of its trade surplus.
The administration upholds the principles of "strengthening Taiwan, linking with the Chinese mainland and deploying globally," a strategy premised on national security and in consideration of overall social benefit, the needs of industry and the sustainable development of Taiwan. "[The administration] will channel cross-strait economic and trade exchanges into the nation's global market deployment," Shen affirmed.
The vice minister also pointed out that due to the ratification of the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and its follow-up pacts, from January 2011 to this July mainland-bound Taiwanese exports of items that were on the ECFA early harvest list enjoyed US$1.857 billion of tax reductions or exemptions. Thanks to the signing of the Cross-Strait Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement, from August 2012 until this August joint service centers for overseas Taiwanese businesses had handled 169 cases on investment disputes.
In order to improve the international competitiveness of Taiwan's industries, the Ministry of Economic Affairs launched the Cross-Strait Bridge Program in December 2008 to allow corporations to promote cross-strait industry cooperation with the government's support in accordance with current regulations and policies. As of September 8 this year, 58 Bridge Program meetings for 19 industries had been held, with more than 20,000 people attending; 1,772 corporations from both sides of the Taiwan Strait had discussed cooperation; and 366 memoranda had been signed.
NDC Vice Minister Kao said that in order to promote foreign trade, the government has adopted a dual-track policy of "moving toward the world and mainland China at the same time." That is, the government is working to expand trade alliances with other countries and strengthen international links while simultaneously promoting the normalization and liberalization of cross-strait trade. The government's focuses on cross-strait and international trade are parallel and do not interfere with one another, Kao said.
The government is also proactively pushing Taiwan's entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to bring Taiwan in line with the international trends of regional economic and trade integration, Kao pointed out. It is hoped that the Cross-Strait Agreement on Trade in Services can be passed soon by the Legislative Yuan and that the negotiation over an agreement on cross-strait trade in goods can be completed as soon as possible so as to help domestic enterprises grasp business opportunities in the mainland Chinese market among intense competition from various countries.
COA Vice Minister Chen indicated agriculture-related cross-strait agreements that have taken effect include the Cross-Strait Agreement on Cooperation in Quarantine and Inspection of Agricultural Products, Cross-Strait Fishing Boat Crew Affairs Cooperation Agreement, ECFA and Cross-Strait Agreement on Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Cooperation and said these are all advantageous for the trade of agricultural products of the two sides and development of the domestic industry.
"Ever since the two sides opened up direct flights and signed relevant pacts, agricultural trade value between Taiwan and mainland China has been on the increase, with the mainland replacing Japan in 2013 as Taiwan's largest export market for agricultural products," said Chen, adding the value of Taiwan's agricultural exports to mainland China also saw a surplus for the first time, at NT$20 million (about $667,000).
Professor Huang pointed out the expansion of cross-strait economic and trade exchange has continued unabated over the past 10-20 years and called this an unstoppable trend regardless of which party governs Taiwan. Taiwan and mainland China have dissimilar strengths: The former boasts innovation and a liberalizing economy, while the latter owns a huge market. Cross-strait economic ties are inseparable and the government must share its successful experience in economic development with mainland China and promote public acceptance of free trade, he stressed, adding that Taiwan and mainland China must also cooperate with and complement each other to enjoy co-prosperity.
As Taiwan and mainland China each have their own political agendas, cross-strait economic and trade exchange considerations will not be limited to economic or industrial factors, Huang added. A significant impediment to further cross-strait economic exchange is the Legislature's delay in considering the Executive Yuan's proposed cross-strait agreement oversight bill, he indicated, saying, "Pointless procrastination will not change the trend of deepening cross-strait exchange. Instead, it will hurt Taiwan. Both ruling and opposition parties must face that fact and keep it in mind."
Closing the meeting, Sun, the three deputy ministers as well as Huang responded to questions by the foreign journalists and shared their views on economic and trade issues.