Life

Details of historic ECFA debate settled on

• Publication Date：04/08/2010
• Source： United Daily News

The time and format for the much-anticipated debate between President Ma Ying-jeou and opposition Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen have been set, it was announced April 7.

The debate, which will concern the question whether Taiwan should sign an economic cooperation framework agreement with mainland China, will start at 2:00 p.m. April 25, a Sunday. It is scheduled to last two hours and 20 minutes.

Both participants will be allowed to make an introduction and a conclusion. Each participant will be allowed to ask the other five questions and five follow-up questions, so that altogether there will be 20 questions and answers mixed together.

On the principle of parity of information, the DPP has requested the Presidential Office provide more details on the proposed trade agreement. In particular, it wants a description of the goods and services that will be included in the so-called “early harvest” list; a draft of the ECFA document the government intends to sign; and a description of how the present administration decided to pursue a policy of signing an ECFA with the mainland.

Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said at the evening of April 7 that it would hurt the national interest if such information were provided to the DPP. If such information is made public, the government would be put at an extreme disadvantage when negotiating with the mainland. For these reasons, Lo said, the government will not agree to the DPP’s requests.

The Presidential Office added that if the DPP is opposed to ECFA, it should also provide information stating clearly what alternative approach it is suggesting.

The Taiwan Public Television Service, which will televise and broadcast the debate, at first suggested that the debate follow the format used in the Obama-Clinton presidential debates. Green and red lights, rather than bells, were used to remind the speakers that their time was up.

This idea was rejected by both sides. To prevent signals from distracting the speakers, it was eventually agreed that timers would be used. The timers will not be shown on television screens, however.

The presidential office had suggested that Ma and Tsai sit down face to face in a more cordial conversational format. But DPP spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang said the participants should be standing. In the end it was settled, after a drawing of lots, to go the DPP route: both Ma and Tsai will stand facing the audience.

Each sides will be allowed to bring between 25 and 35 supporters to the debate hall. (HZW)