Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement 結果共16筆

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council warns that China’s reduced tariff concessions under the ECFA could harm cross-strait companies, criticizing China’s trade sanction threats and efforts to attract Taiwanese youth with housing and entrepreneur parks.

Former President Ma Ying-jeou met with Beijing Party Secretary Yin Li, emphasizing the importance of the 1992 Consensus for cross-strait relations. Ma noted the benefits of past agreements and expressed hope for continued exchanges. He also visited historical sites in Beijing and stressed the resilience of Chinese culture.

President Tsai Ing-wen meets with Australian parliamentary delegation in Taipei to discuss strengthening partnerships, emphasizing security cooperation and regional stability. The talks highlight ongoing efforts to deepen economic ties and the importance of defense collaboration amid joint naval exercises in the South China Sea.

Premier Chen Chien-jen of Taiwan expresses willingness for peaceful democratic talks on equal terms in cross-strait exchanges during the Legislative Yuan’s general policy interpellation. Lawmaker Lin Te-fu from the Kuomintang (KMT) highlights tensions in cross-strait relations and calls for dialogue, citing the lack of official communication and progress in the Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) since 2015. Premier Chen emphasizes Taiwan’s economic growth potential and expanding market reach in New Southbound, Western, and East Asian countries.

China’s military intimidation of Taiwan ahead of the presidential election has been warned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). A joint statement by the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink, Japanese Deputy Minister and Director-General, Kobe Yasuhiro, and Republic of Korea Deputy Minister, Chung Byung-won, expressed support for Taiwan during a three-way dialogue in Washington. China’s recent military threats towards Taiwan, including deploying balloons across the Taiwan strait, violating airspace, and suspending parts of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), have raised concerns among the international community. MOFA has raised suspicions of attempts to influence the election and emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to cooperation with the US, Japan, and South Korea to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The upcoming Taiwan presidential election is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s economic growth, according to a research report by France’s Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking company. The report suggests that regardless of the election outcome, Taiwan is poised for economic growth, with the consumer and tech industries leading the way. The research predicts that economic growth could increase from 1.2% in 2023 to 2.9% in 2024. While candidates share similar social and labor policies, the report highlights the major differences in their positions on industrial and energy areas, as well as Taiwan’s economic relationship with China. The report also mentions the potential role of Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je in triggering legislative instability. The incumbent Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), leading in polls, is expected to continue pushing for diversified trade and investment policies, shifting focus from China to the U.S. and other Asian regions. However, achieving these targets may be challenging as Taiwan has missed out on regional trade and economic agreements such as RCEP, CPTTP, and the U.S.-led IPEF. If the Kuomintang (KMT) wins the election, they might seek closer trade and investment links with China by expanding the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), according to Natixis.

President Tsai Ing-wen criticizes China’s one-sided trade barriers and emphasizes that bilateral trade relations should not be used as a political tool in her New Year’s address. The tariff preference for certain products under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) has been suspended as of Jan. 1, 2024. Tsai notes China’s intervention in elections and expresses confidence in the people of Taiwan to make wise decisions. She argues that Taiwan’s industries already have global exposure and are gradually reducing reliance on China. Tsai believes that while the economic benefits of the ECFA are limited, diversifying risks and global positioning are important for Taiwan’s industries. She highlights that China often imposes unilateral trade barriers on other countries for political reasons, citing examples of punitive tariffs and import bans on Lithuania and Australia due to their friendly relationship with Taiwan and criticism of China’s human rights policy in Xinjiang.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih challenges the effectiveness of President Tsai Ing-wen’s foreign policy, questioning its impact on Taiwan-China communication, severed relations with former allies, extended military service, and increased risk of Chinese fighter jets breaching Taiwan’s airspace. The three presidential contenders, including Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Lai Ching-te and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je, discuss U.S.-Taiwan relations and their stance on President Tsai’s policy. Hou questions DPP’s handling of tainted politics during their time in power and highlights his support for the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). He also addresses concerns over cross-strait flight operations and employment difficulties for Chinese students in Taiwan. Hou pledges to follow the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and maintain administrative neutrality without relying on any side.

Kuomintang (KMT) presidential contender Hou Yu-ih criticizes the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP’s) past claims about the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) and cross-strait communication. He questions the DPP candidate’s analogy of ＂three links＂ and direct flights to a ＂Trojan horse leading to a massacre＂ and challenges the Agriculture Minister’s role in Chinese approvals for Taiwan’s grouper fish export. Hou argues that unresolved quarantine issues could harm Taiwanese farmers and suggests direct negotiations with China. He also criticizes Lai’s ＂Taiwan independence＂ stance, claiming it lacks practical understanding of cross-strait relations. If elected, Hou promises to continue ECFA negotiations to reduce China’s tariffs on Taiwan’s industries. He believes that adhering to the Constitution and the Act Governing Relations between Taiwan and China will maintain peace between the straits.

The termination of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) has raised concerns about its impact on Taiwan’s petrochemical industry. However, corporate entities in Taiwan have stated that the impact has been limited. This is due to Taiwan’s efforts to reduce its dependency on China for exports, as China increases its domestic supply of petrochemical products. Taiwanese firms are expanding into other export markets and focusing on enhancing the competitiveness of their high-value products. The move is a response to China’s accusations of discriminatory bans and restrictive measures on Chinese products, which China’s Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council sees as violating the ECFA. The ECFA’s ＂Early Harvest List＂ included 88 tax reductions on Taiwan’s petrochemical industry by China. With the suspension of tariff privileges, these corporations anticipate that the tax rate on associated products could rise from the current 0% to between 2% and 10%.

The Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council has announced that starting from January 1 next year, it will suspend the application of preferential tariffs for 12 categories of chemically imported goods from Taiwan, including propylene and paraxylene. China claims that Taiwan violates ECFA regulations by imposing discriminatory trade measures for products exported from China, and a trade barrier investigation by China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed these restrictions as a trade barrier. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) accuses China of political manipulation and bypassing WTO dispute mechanisms. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) states that the export value of ECFA’s early harvest list to China has been decreasing, projected to retract to pre-ECFA levels by year-end. The MOEA proposes managing cross-strait economic disputes under the WTO mechanism and encourages China to do the same.

China has announced the suspension of preferential tariffs on certain products under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), potentially impacting cross-strait trade. Li Zhenguang, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Beijing Union University, suggests that this move could lead to the complete termination of the ECFA, creating uncertainty for the future. Tang Yonghong, deputy director of the Taiwan Research Center at Xiamen University, considers the suspension to be moderate and emphasizes that China will respond with corresponding measures if Taiwan imposes trade bans or limitations. The development of cross-strait trade is contingent on the relationship between the two sides, with trade being affected if relations become confrontational. China’s suspension of tariff concessions for 12 imported items is seen as a warning to Taiwan in defense of the ＂1992 Consensus,＂ indicating China’s unwavering stance on cross-strait relations.

A new poll by ETtoday reveals a tight race in the upcoming 2024 presidential election in Taiwan. The Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai-Hsiao ticket, consisting of Lai Ching-te and Hsiao Bi-khim, leads with 35.9% support, slightly ahead of the Kuomintang’s Hou-Jaw ticket, comprised of Hou Yu-ih and Jaw Shaw-kong, at 34.7%. The Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko-Wu ticket, featuring Ko Wen-je and Cynthia Wu, trails behind with 19.6% support. Despite the close percentages, 44.3% of the public expresses confidence in the Lai-Hsiao ticket’s ability to win, compared to 30.1% for Hou-Jaw and 13.8% for Ko-Wu. Conversely, 40.5% of voters are certain they will not vote for Lai-Hsiao, while 27.3% reject Hou-Jaw and 20.6% turn away from Ko-Wu. In terms of non-constituency legislators, the KMT leads with 35% support, followed by the DPP with 31.3% and the TPP at 14.5%. The poll highlights public concern over Taiwan’s economic ties with China, particularly due to recent trade restrictions viewed as trade barriers and the suspension of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) measures. Additionally, 47.1% of respondents worry that a Lai Ching-te presidency could worsen cross-strait economic and people-to-people exchanges, while 16.4% hold the same concern for Hou Yu-ih and 11.6% for Ko Wen-je. The poll, conducted from December 18 to 19, surveyed 1,224 respondents with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%. Compared to the previous poll from December 14 to 15, support for the Lai-Hsiao ticket dropped by 2.6 percentage points, while the Hou-Jaw ticket saw a minor decline of 0.4 percentage points, and the Ko-Wu ticket remained unchanged. The number of undecided voters increased to 9.8%, indicating the undecided nature of the electorate ahead of the presidential vote.

A new poll reveals that 40.5% of Taiwanese would definitely not vote for the Democratic Progressive Party’s Lai-Hsiao ticket (Lai Ching-te, Hsiao Bi-khim) in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. The survey also shows that 47.1% believe cross-strait economic and people-to-people exchanges could worsen under Lai Ching-te’s leadership. Lai-Hsiao currently leads with 35.9% support, followed closely by the Kuomintang’s Hou-Jaw ticket (Hou Yu-ih, Jaw Shaw-kong) with 34.7%, and the Taiwan People’s Party’s Ko-Wu ticket (Ko Wen-je, Cynthia Wu) at 19.6%. A small percentage plan to abstain or render their ballots invalid, and a significant portion remains undecided. Optimism for Lai-Hsiao winning stands at 44.3%, while 27.3% completely rule out voting for Hou-Jaw and 20.6% against Ko-Wu. Hou Yu-ih is believed to have a 16.4% impact on cross-strait relations, while Ko Wen-je holds an 11.6% influence. The poll was conducted from December 18-19, surveying 1,224 individuals from Taiwan and the Fujian area. It was funded by ETtoday and has a sampling error of ±2.8% at a 95% confidence level.

The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) has concluded its investigation into Taiwan’s ban on importing certain products from the mainland, deeming it a trade barrier. The investigation, conducted under the Foreign Trade Law and Foreign Trade Barrier Investigation Rules, found that the ban hinders cross-strait trade relations. The ban, which covers 2,455 Taiwanese goods including agricultural products, minerals, chemicals, and textiles, was announced by Beijing in April. Originally scheduled to release the findings on October 12, 2023, MOFCOM extended the deadline to January 12, 2024. Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian criticized the ban, stating that it goes against the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), which aims to reduce or eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers between the two sides. Zhu emphasized that such restrictions harm the interests of both sides and pledged support for measures based on the investigation’s results.

KMT legislator Fei Hung-tai demanded responses from Premier Chen Chien-jen and Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua regarding the potential impact of terminating the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) on Taiwan’s industries. Chen stated that the main industries affected would primarily be petrochemicals, textiles, machinery, and automobile parts.