April 18, 2010
Reported by Sam Lee
Written by Lydia Ma

What is ECFA and can you define and explain it in 30 seconds? To answer this question, PCT General Assembly invited Taiwan Think-Tank CEO Chen Po-chih to speak on this issue during the recent 55th General Assembly Meeting of the PCT. According to Chen, ECFA would essentially lift tariffs on more than 90% of imported goods between Taiwan and China and is literally an "open- door policy."

Chen went on to warn that the costs of signing an ECFA with China outweigh the benefits, and listed examples such as demise of Taiwan's agricultural sector, increased unemployment, low wages, and eventual loss of national sovereignty as Taiwan is taken over by China little by little. These fallouts explain why it is important to sign a petition that calls for a national referendum on ECFA. PCT delegates attending the 55th General Assembly Meeting firmly supported this petition.

It has been more than a year since the Ma administration began promoting ECFA but many people are still in the dark about what ECFA really entails for Taiwan. Commenting on the mystery surrounding ECFA, Chen responded that President Ma Ying-jeou doesn't want the public to know the truth behind ECFA and that's why his administration has only spoken about the positive effects of ECFA. But Chen claims ECFA is akin to a beautifully-boxed gift with a dangerous tiger lurking inside.

As for the Ma administration's insistence that ECFA is not a political issue, Chen replied that, though ECFA may not contain the words "one-China" (also known as unification), President Hu Jintao's "Six-Points on Taiwan Policy" issued last year makes it apparent that is precisely what Beijing intends to achieve through ECFA.

Chen said the political ramifications of ECFA are enormous, but the Ma administration is purposely sticking its head in the sand and forging ahead regardless of the harm ECFA will inflict on Taiwan. That is the reasons why it's imperative to collect enough petitions to turn ECFA into a referendum issue decided by Taiwanese people.

PCT Sediq District Moderator Rev. Watan Diro commented that he fears ECFA will inflict unprecedented economic and political devastation to Taiwan. He hopes that experts can hold some information sessions in Aborigine reservations so that Aborigines can know what is at stake as well.

Taiwan Church News