Cross-Straits economic
pact to follow WTO rules
A Chinese mainland spokesman said Wednesday that the economic
pact under discussion with Taiwan will follow the rules of the
World Trade Organization (WTO).
However, since the talks had just begun, it was too early to talk
about the details of interaction with the WTO, said Yang Yi,
spokesman with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a
regular press conference in Beijing in response to a question
whether the mainland will report the pact to the WTO after it is
signed.
Experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan held their first
talks in Beijing Tuesday(2010/1/26) to pave the way for the
long-awaited Economic Cooperation Framework
Agreement (ECFA).
The meeting progressed smoothly and created a "good
beginning" for the consultation, Yang said.
"At yesterday's meeting, the two sides agreed to speed up
the consultation procedure. When the pact is to be signed depends
on how the talks develop," he said.
According to Taiwan-based news channel TVBS, Taiwan expected to
reach the pact in the first half of this year.
When asked to comment on Taiwan's argument that it should not lift
restrictions on mainland laborers and farm produce trade in the pact, Yang said the two
sides will follow the principles of equality, mutual benefit and
openness during the talks.
"Under these principles, we will carefully and fully
consider rational requests from Taiwan and make proper
arrangements to take care of Taiwan people's interests," he
said.
The ECFA is intended to make systematic arrangements to normalize
mainland-Taiwan economic ties and bring the economies of both
sides closer.
Negotiators from the mainland's Association for Relations Across
the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange
Foundation (SEF) will hold formal discussions about the ECFA at
their next round of talks in the first half of this year.
Experts from the two sides would hold the second meeting as early
as possible, Yang said.