In addition, the Taiwan side will also seek to have tariffs on 500 of industrial products reduced in the early stage under the ECFA negotiations that will kick off in January, Shih stated during a news conference.
The inking of an ECFA has been placed on the agenda for the fifth round of talks slated for next year between the two sides’ top cross-strait negotiators—Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung and his mainland counterpart, Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin.
Ahead of the talks, the Financial Supervisory Commission has proposed that gaining greater access to the mainland market for the financial service sector be included on the “early harvest” list. At the same time, the National Communications Commission is studying the issue as it pertains to the telecom industry, while the Ministry of Economic Affairs has expressed hope that greater access for wholesalers, retailers and computer service providers will be included.
Shih explained that since its entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, mainland China has continually opened up its market to foreign wholesalers and retailers but many restrictions remain in place. These include limiting retail store sizes to 3,000 square meters, restricting the number of stores in each province to three per chain, and limiting the number of stores nationwide to 30.
The minister said Taiwan hopes through the ECFA negotiations to obtain even better treatment than under the WTO framework for its retail and wholesale enterprises striving to set up shop on the mainland.
According to sources, Beijing continues to restrict access to the mainland market in the computer and related sectors to joint ventures. Taipei is aiming to gain entry to the market for fully owned Taiwan enterprises in these sectors.
On the question of the Philippines’ interest in joining the ECFA talks raised by a reporter at the news conference, Shih pointed out that the negotiations are currently bilateral. Noting that the discussions would become multilateral in nature if Manila were to join, Wang said he is not sure whether this could be accomplished. (SB)