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Political effects of ECFA minimized: president

ROC Central News Agency

2010/07/01 18:59:47

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) The signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with Beijing will have virtually no political implications for Taiwan's sovereign status, President Ma Ying-jeou said Thursday in Taipei.

Speaking at a press conference two days after the deal was inked in China, the president said that while he acknowledges the fear of many people that the ECFA will embolden China's intention to annex Taiwan, such worry is unnecessary.

Prior to the signing, said the president, issues such as the potential political impact that the agreement will have on Taiwan and how it will affect cross-strait development were all carefully considered by his administration.

"In our view, we believe it was a deal that we could go ahead with," he said.

While both Taipei and Beijing tout ECFA as a historical milestone and an economic imperative to strengthen cross-Taiwan Strait cooperation, Taiwan's opposition, especially the Democratic Progressive Party, has said the deal will damage Taiwan's sovereignty and jeopardize Taiwan's own industries.

Some critics have also labeled the ECFA as a preliminary step toward unification with China.

Ma said he is perfectly aware of China's ultimate intention of taking over Taiwan, but said that there is no "political language" in the ECFA and that China made zero political demands during the negotiations.

Moreover, some members of the international community view the ECFA as a giant step toward cross-strait harmony, he went on.

U.S. State Department Acting Deputy Spokesman Gordon Duguid said the U.S. is "encouraged by recent improvements in cross-strait relations and hopes those relations will continue to expand and develop."

Duguid's remarks were made June 29, shortly after the deal was sealed in the Chinese city of Chongqing.

Japan's Foreign Ministry also welcomed the signing and said Japan expects Taiwan and China to engage in direct and peaceful dialogue in the future.

Catherine Ashton, the European Union's high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and first vice president of the European Commission, released a statement on behalf of the EU lauding the signing of the ECFA, in which she said she appreciates and supports the efforts of both sides to find pragmatic solutions and peacefully develop relations.

"This contributes significantly to stability and security in East Asia... The European Union believes that the expansion of cross-strait economic relations has a potential to also benefit the development of its already significant trade and investment links in East Asia," the statement said. (By Jenny W. Hsu) ENDITEM/J