Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement and Free Trade
Agreements
~ 2010
[Polls] [ News ] [ Papers ]
Polls
Survey on Signed Cross-Strait
Economic Cooperation Agreement, People’s Views on Unification-Independence
Issue and President Ma Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating (GVSRC, Jul. 28, 2010) 47.1% of people were supportive of
ECFA; 51.2% preferred to maintain
status quo on the unification-independence issue; and 32.3% were content with
President Ma’s performance.
Survey: ECFA Televised
Debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (China Times,
Apr. 26, 2010) 47.5% of respondents
supported signing a cross-Strait ECFA while 30.4% not.
Survey: ECFA Televised
Debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (TVBS, Apr. 26, 2010)
After the
debate, 41%
of respondents
supported concluding an ECFA with China, rising from 38% before the
debate.
Survey: Televised ECFA
Debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (United Daily,
Apr. 26, 2010) 42% of
respondents thought President Ma performed better while 30% Chairwoman Tsai.
Survey: Possible Debate on
Concluding a Cross-Strait ECFA
(China
Times, Mar. 23, 2010) 42.6% of people support the signing of ECFA, while
67.1% agree that the government and the DPP should hold public debates on ECFA.
Survey on Signing of
Economic Cooperation Agreement with Other Countries, People’s Views on
Unification with China and Independence and President Ma Ying-jeou’s Approval
Rating (GVSRC, Mar. 23, 2010)
46.2 percent of people supported the authorities to sign ECFA with mainland
China; meanwhile, President Ma’s approval rating is 23.8% this month.
Survey on Cross-strait ECFA
and Exchanges, Taiwanese’s View on Ultimate Unification with China and
Independence and President Ma Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating (GVSRC, Dec. 22, 2009) 54.4 percent said signing ECFA is
very important to Taiwan’s economy; meanwhile, 23.5 percent were content with
President Ma’s performance.
60 Percent Support
Systematic Cross-Strait Consultation: MAC
(CNA, Dec. 18, 2009) The Mainland Affairs Counci unveiled the results of a public opinion survey
showing that nearly 60 percent of the respondents support systematic
consultations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Most People Clueless about
ECFA: Poll
(Taipei
Times, Dec. 18, 2009) Most people have no idea what issues will be covered in
cross-strait talks scheduled to take place in Taichung next week, the
Democratic Progressive Party said.
China Times Public Opinion
Poll on ECFA
(China Times, Dec. 11, 2009) A poll conducted by
China Times on people’s opinions on the cross-strait ECFA, translated by the
KMT news network.
Views on Current
Cross-Strait Relations
(MAC, Oct. 2, 2009) A survey on people’s opinions
on the cross-strait relations, conducted by the Mainland Affairs
Council.
60% of People Support ECFA
(China Post, Jun. 2, 2009) Six out of every ten
people in Taiwan support
an economic cooperation framework agreement with China, according to a Credit
Lyonnais Securities poll.
Survey on ECFA and Issues
Associated with Mainland Capital Investments in Taiwan (MAC, Apr. 20, 2009) A survey conducted by the Mainland Affairs
Council on ECFA and other issues.
Survey on Cross-Strait
Economic Cooperation Agreement and President Ma Ying-jeou’s Approval Rating (GVSRC, Mar. 23, 2009) 68.2% of Taiwanese say they
are concerned with signing an economic cooperation agreement with China.
Meanwhile, President Ma’s approval rating ten months after his inauguration
is 28.6%.
TVBS Poll on ECFA and
National Identity
(TVBS Public Opinion Pall Center, Mar. 13, 2009)
A poll conducted by TVBS on Taiwanese people’s opinion on ECFA with China
and national identity.
Survey on Taiwanese People’s
Attitude toward Economic Agreements with China and Cross-strait Exchanges (GVSRC, Nov. 10, 2008) 47.4% think the four agreements signed by
SEF and ARATS in early November are beneficial to Taiwan.
Ma Vows Trade Liberalization
in Second Term
(China
Post, May 18, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou vowed to
further enhance Taiwan's
trade liberalization in the upcoming four years by signing various
international trade pacts.
Ma Warns That Taiwan Can’t
Afford Absence from New Free-Trade Zone (China Post, May 17, 2012) Ma said he hopes Japan will seriously
and positively consider inking a bilateral FTA with Taiwan. Circumstances are
ripe at present: bilateral relations are the best they've been in 40 years,
while Taiwan-Japan trade is thriving.
Taiwan Has Little Time to
Tackle New FTA Threat: Scholars
(CNA, May 16, 2012) Taiwan is facing a major
economic threat and needs to speed up trade talks with its major trade
partners to shield itself from a proposed free trade bloc comprising China, Japan
and South Korea, scholars said.
Ma Vows to Resolve Beef
Issue
(Taipei Times, May 16, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou promised to resolve the issue surrounding US beef imports
and expressed hope that Taiwan-US trade talks under the Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement platform would resume soon.
Ma Alert to Possible Impact
of 3-State FTA
(CNA, May 15, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou is alert to the fact that China, Japan and South
Korea are about to begin free-trade talks and has instructed the Cabinet to
move quickly to prevent Taiwan from being marginalized in global trade.
McCain: US Should Seek Trade
Pacts with Taiwan, India, Suspend All Myanmar Economic Sanctions (AP, May 14, 2012) Republican Sen. John McCain called for the
Obama administration to ramp up its free trade agenda in Asia and suspend
U.S. economic sanctions on Myanmar, although retain an arms embargo.
Taiwan Should Speed Up Trade
Talks amid New FTA Threat: Minister (CNA, May 14, 2012) Taiwan
should speed up the progress of talks with its major trade partners, as China, Japan
and South Korea
have decided to launch talks on a proposed free trade bloc, Economics
Minister Shih Yen-shiang said.
Asia Powers Agree on
Free-Trade Negotiation
(Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2012) The leaders
of China, Japan and South Korea agreed to begin free-trade negotiations this
year, opening the possibility of an agreement that could rival the world's
largest free-trade zones in size, although it is likely to be far less
comprehensive or rigorous.
Taiwan-New Zealand Free
Trade Talks to Begin
(CNA, May 5, 2012) Taiwan and New Zealand have
completed a joint feasibility study into a bilateral economic cooperation
agreement and will officially start free trade talks in the near future,
Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang said.
Liberalized Economy Brings
Prosperity: AIT
(CNA, Apr. 27, 2012) Taiwan
should liberalize its economy to ensure future prosperity and integration
into the global market, a senior American Institute in Taiwan official said.
Ma Urges Shedding of
‘Protectionist Mindset’
(China Post, Apr. 20, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou called for Taiwan to shed its “protectionist
mindset,” one roadblock to its global competitiveness.
Trade Accords Necessary for
Prosperity: Ma
(China
Post, Apr. 15, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou said Taiwan could be transformed into an economic
powerhouse if it succeeds in signing trade agreements with the United States, China and its other major neighbors.
More ECFA Talks Needed to
Reduce China-S. Korea FTA Threat: Scholars (China Post,
Apr. 8, 2012) Taiwan
should accelerate follow-up talks with China
over a bilateral economic pact to reduce the adverse impact of a free trade
agreement between China
and South Korea on
Taiwanese exports, according to advisers to Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council.
Free Trade Pact Negotiations
Should Begin As Soon As Possible: Premier (China Post,
Apr. 8, 2012) Taiwan
must begin as soon as possible to discuss with other countries its desire to
forge free trade agreements with them, Premier Sean Chen said.
US Beef Imports Necessary
for Continuation of TIFA Talks: Ma
(China Post, Apr. 7, 2012) The importation of
U.S. beef is inevitable for the resumption of trade talks and restarting
trade negotiations with the United States is crucial to breaking through the
economic isolation Taiwan faces, President Ma Ying-jeou
said.
ECFA Talks to Be Finished in
Two Years: President
(Taipei
Times, Apr. 7, 2012) President Ma Ying-jeou said
the government will complete negotiations on the cross-strait Economic
Cooperation Framework Agreement with China in the next two years, as well as
deepen economic and trade relations with other countries to raise the
nation’s economic competitiveness.
Beef Solution Would Aid
Trade: Bader
(Taipei
Times, Mar. 28, 2012) The US will withhold support for Taiwan’s accession to
the Trans-Pacific Partnership if the lingering dispute over a ban on imports
of US beef containing trace amounts of ractopamine
remains unresolved, Jeffrey Bader said.
ECFA Effect Yet to be Seen:
French Official
(CNA, Mar. 26, 2012) The economic effect of the
Taiwan-China trade pact remains to be seen, although the pact is an incentive
to attract foreign companies to set up business in Taiwan, according to an official
from the France Taiwan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Pingtan Joint Operation Must
Operate Under the ECFA: Ma
(China Post, Mar. 22, 2012) The “joint
management” economic development of the Pingtan
Experimental Development Zone between Taiwan
and China
should only be discussed under the economic cooperation framework agreement
(ECFA), President Ma Ying-jeou said.
US Beef Is Stumbling Block
for TIFA: Ma
(China
Post, Mar. 22, 2012) To prevent Taiwan
from being economically marginalized, the government will need to resume
trade agreement talks with the U.S.
soon, President Ma Ying-jeou said, pointing out
that solving the U.S.
beef import issue is key to resuming dialogue.
Taiwan, New Zealand Aim for
Trade Pact: Shih
(China Post, Mar. 13, 2012) Taiwan and New Zealand are expected to kick
off official talks on the signing of an economic cooperation agreement
between both countries in the middle of the year, Economic Minister Shih Yen-hsiang said.
Taiwan Eyes Sealing
Non-early Harvest ECFA in 2 Years
(CNA, Mar. 2, 2012) An economics official
expressed hope that Taiwan
and China
can reach a conclusion within two years on tariff reduction or exemption
talks on items that are not included on the ECFA early harvest list.
Taiwan Pushes for Trade Pact
with EU
(CNA, Feb. 23, 2012) Vice Economics Minister Lin Sheng-chung said in Brussels
that the economies of Taiwan
and the European Union are highly complementary and an economic cooperation
agreement would benefit both sides.
Countries Urged Not to
Develop Official Ties with Taiwan
(Xinhua, Feb. 23, 2012) A Chinese foreign
ministry spokesman said that countries who had forged diplomatic relations
with China should not
develop official ties or sign any agreements with its Taiwan region.
Taiwan, Israel to Establish
Free Trade Deal Task Force
(CNA, Dec. 30, 2011) Taiwan
and Israel
have agreed to set up a task force to study the possibility of a bilateral
free trade agreement before 2013, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
US Hopes TIFA Talks Can
Resume After Elections
(China Post, Dec. 28, 2011) The United States
government hopes Taiwanese counterparts can take “concrete steps” to solve
the U.S.
beef dispute following the January elections before the currently suspended
TIFA talks can resume, a MOFA official said.
Taiwan, New Zealand Enter
Second Phase of ECA Study
(China
Post, Dec. 16, 2011) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Taiwan
and New Zealand will soon move into the second phase of a joint feasibility
study on signing a bilateral economic cooperation agreement (ECA).
UK Official Expresses
Support for Taiwan-EU Pact
(CNA, Nov. 5, 2011) UK
Minister of State for Trade and Investment Stephen Green expressed his
explicit support for Taiwan's
bid to forge an economic cooperation agreement with the European Union at an
annual consultation with Taiwanese officials.
Minister Eyes Trans-Pacific
Partnership Trade Bloc
(Taipei Times, Oct. 28, 2011) Progress made in
enhancing Taiwan’s
bilateral ties with Singapore
and New Zealand
in the form of economic cooperation agreements would help the country secure
a seat in the emerging Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Timothy Yang said.
Lieberman Calls for
US-Taiwan FTA
(Taipei Times,
Nov. 4, 2011) Joseph Lieberman said the US needed — in addition to military
measures — an ambitious and strategically minded forward-looking trade policy
for the Asia-Pacific region.
Taiwan to Make Bid to Get in
on TPP Talks, Lien Says
(Taipei
Times, Nov. 4, 2011) Taiwan would express its willingness to be included in
negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement launched by the US as
a pathway to achieve a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, former vice
president Lien Chan said.
Cross-Strait Commission
Holds 2nd China Meeting
(CNA, Nov. 2, 2011) A second meeting of the
Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Commission was held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Province.
Taiwan, New Zealand to
Assess Trade Options: Economic Affairs Chief (CNA, Oct. 26, 2011) Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang announced that Taiwan
and New Zealand
will start a feasibility assessment for a bilateral economic cooperation
agreement.
Timing Not Right for Taiwan
FTA: EU
(Taipei Times, Sep. 29, 2011) An EU commissioner
said that the timing was not right for the EU to start negotiations with
Taiwan on a free-trade agreement amid concerns over the repercussions of such
talks on cross-strait relations and the EU’s relations with China.
WikiLeaks: AIT Doubts ECFA
Impact: Cable Says
(Taipei Times,
Sep. 8, 2011) Former AIT director Stephen Young was skeptical of President Ma
Ying-jeou’s position that signing ECFA would open
the door for Taiwan to
pursue FTAs with other partners, a US
cable recently released by WikiLeaks showed.
Grouper Farmer Calls on DPP
Not to Reel in Industry’s Growth After ECFA (China Post, Sep. 8, 2011) At the moment, up to 80 percent of
grouper farmers are DPP supporters, but they have kept silent after
benefiting from the ECFA.
Market Issues Prevent EU
FTAs: EETO
(China Post, Sep. 1, 2011) Despite recent
economic advances such as signing ECFA with China, the prospects of Taiwan
inking trade agreements with EU appear to be hindered by many factors,
including current import restrictions, the political environment and the
simple issue of “market size.”
US Disinterest Is Barrier to
FTA: Scholar
(CNA, Aug. 5, 2011) The real barrier to the
signing of a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan is not China's
opposition, but American disinterest and Taiwanese protectionism, a research fellow
of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation said.
ECFA Follow-Up Negotiations
Slated for Aug. 1-7
(CNA, Aug. 1, 2011) A new round of follow-up
negotiations on the landmark Taiwan-China trade pact signed last year is
slated for the week beginning Aug. 1 in
Taipei, MOEA
said.
Exports to Emerging Markets
Grow: TAITRA
(China Post, Jul. 14, 2011) Taiwan exports to emerging markets during the
first half of 2011 rose 27.7 percent year-on-year, significantly higher than
the 10 percent increase for exports to China during the same period.
Ministers Rebut Job Losses
to China Story
(Taipei Times, Jul. 7, 2011) Government officials
rebutted a media report claiming that job losses in Taiwan were the result of an exodus of
Taiwanese manufacturing industries to China.
Gov’t Must Open Trade to
Join TPP: US
(CNA,
Jul. 6, 2011) Taiwan needs
to be prepared in order to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Agreement, Kurt Tong, a senior U.S.
official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, was quoted as saying
after a high-level meeting in Taipei.
Taiwan Isolated by Asian
Trade Agreements
(Wall
Street Journal, May 25, 2011) A warning from a government trade council in Taiwan highlights concerns that the island has
become increasingly isolated by the burgeoning network of free trade
agreements connecting Asia and the rest of
the world.
Taiwan, Singapore Begin Free
Trade Talks
(CNA,
May 22, 2011) Taiwan and Singapore
have begun talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) that they plan to sign
within one year, according to economic officials.
Vincent Siew Urges Taiwan-US
TIFA Talks to be Resumed
(CNA,
May 21, 2011) Vice President Vincent Siew urged the
US to resume trade talks with Taiwan that have been derailed by disagreements
over the safety of US beef in New York.
ECFA—a Step towards East
Asia Economic Integration: VP
(CNA, Apr. 30, 2011) The signing of the ECFA
between Taiwan and
mainland China last June
is "the right thing to do" and can be seen as another step toward East Asia's, Vice President Vincent Siew
said.
MOFA Urges Resumption of
Trade Talks
(Taipei Times, Apr. 18, 2011) With signs that the
US is pushing for
ratification of a free-trade agreement with South
Korea, MOFA said Taiwan
and the US
should resume TIFA negotiations as soon as possible.
ECFA Benefiting Wealthy: Report
(Taipei
Times, Mar. 27, 2011) People who possess large amounts of capital appeared to
reap benefits from the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), while
those on the lower end of the economic scale absorbed the costs, a recently
released report suggested.
Taiwan and India Begins
Exploring Feasibility of a Free Trade Agreement (CNA, Mar. 9, 2011) India
and Taiwan have begun work
on a feasibility study to pave the way for the opening of formal talks on a
free trade agreement (FTA), India's
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao
said.
Taiwan Lukewarm to Signing
Economic Cooperation Pact with Hong Kong (CNA, Jan. 26, 2011) Taiwan
said that it's not in a hurry to ink an economic cooperation agreement with Hong Kong.
Environment Is Not Right for
TIFA Talks: AIT Chief
(China
Post, Jan. 26, 2011) The current environment is not conducive for the United
States and Taiwan to hold a new round of high-level Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) talks, said the visiting chairman of the AIT,
Raymond Burghardt.
Taiwan-U.S. Trade Talks
Postponed Over Beef Drug
(CNA, Jan. 22, 2011) The United States has decided
to postpone a trade meeting with Taiwan after some U.S. beef products found
to contain residue from an animal drug were taken off the shelves of local
supermarkets, Taiwanese officials said.
ECFA Dispute Settlement
Mechanism in the Works
(China Post, Jan. 10, 2011) Negotiators from both
sides of the strait will work on a dispute settlement mechanism under the
economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), now that the historic trade
document has been put in effect.
Cross-Strait Trade Committee
Launched
(China Post, Jan. 7, 2011) A long-awaited
committee to serve as a window for handling trade negotiations between Taiwan and China was formally launched.
ECFA ‘Early Harvest’ List
Tariff Cuts Come into Effect
(Bloomberg, Jan. 2, 2011) Taiwan and China
lowered import tariffs on more than 800 products yesterday under the Economic
Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).
Taiwan in the Global
Economic Landscape By Mignonne
Man-jung Chan
(Brookings, March 2012) This article aims (1) to examine the current state of
play of Taiwan’s global economic participation; (2) to evaluate the
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats Taiwan is now facing; and
(3) to propose a “maxi-min” approach to enhancing Taiwan’s role in the world.
Groundwork Key to Effective
FTAs By Tu Jenn-hwa
(Taipei
Times, Mar. 10, 2012) Although the government has expressed a strong interest
in signing further trade agreements, it has not done enough preparatory work.
Taiwan Jobs Sucked to China
by Failure to Mimic Singapore Economic Model By Chinmei Sung (Bloomberg, Jul. 4, 2011) As warmer
ties with former civil-war foe China encourage an exodus of factories to the
lower-cost mainland, Taiwan’s failure to develop new growth industries has
caused it to fall behind Singapore and Hong Kong.
Taiwan Steps Up FTA Race By Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, May 26, 2011) Singapore has begun talks on a FTA with Taiwan,
making the city-state the first nation that doesn't recognize Taiwanese
statehood to dare such a move. The hoped-for pact is pregnant with more
political than economic significance.
How Taiwan Is Benefiting
Economically from Recent Thaw in Ties with China By Ralph Jennings (Christen Science Monitor, May 23, 2011) A potential free-trade deal between Taiwan
with Singapore may signal
that China has stopped
warning other countries against doing deals with Taiwan.
Taiwan Exclusion to Last a
While By Honigmann Hong
(Taipei Times, Nov. 25, 2010) The TPP is Washington’s grand strategy
for its Asia-Pacific deployment. Even if Beijing,
a complex factor, is excluded, Taiwan
is not the US’
first priority at a time when the economic and trade order in the
Asia-Pacific is being realigned.
Trade Deal Casts Shadow on
Taiwan By Cindy Sui
(Asia Times, Aug. 5, 2010) The Economic
Cooperation Framework Agreement is set to have an impact across Taiwanese
society and politics well beyond increasing business between the former foes
facing each other across the Taiwan Strait.
U.S. Dislike for ECFA Is a
Myth By Dennis V. Hickey
(China
Post, Jul. 22, 2010) Stories about American opposition to the warming
relations between Taiwan
and the China
receive a lot of media attention. But even a cursory examination of this
issue reveals that these views do not reflect mainstream opinion in the U.S.
or official American policy.
US Analysts Urge Washington
to Pay Attention to ECFA By Ko Shu-ling (Taipei Times, Jul. 15, 2010) While the Economic Cooperation
Framework Agreement will have modest global economic effects, the
geo-economic implications are significant enough to demand strategic
attention from the US, two US international economists said in a recent
study. Deepening China-Taiwan Relations Through the
Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement
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