Govt statistics show imports dwarf exports to the mainland

TAIPEI: Agriculture issues will be excluded in negotiations between Taiwan and the mainland on a proposed trade pact that seeks closer cross-Straits economic relations, Council of Agriculture (COA) Chairman Chen Wu-hsiung reiterated yesterday.

"Here I can openly tell everyone that agriculture issues will not be included in the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) negotiations," Chen said during a session of the Legislative Yuan's Economics Committee.

"Since the issues will not be discussed, the ECFA will have no impact on Taiwanese farmers at all," he said.

Agriculture issues are among the most-discussed topics relating to the controversial trade pact, as local agriculture workers and farmers are concerned that once the trade pact takes effect, the further opening of Taiwan to cheaper mainland agricultural products will allow such products to dominate local market share.

Responding to a question from main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Su Cheng-ching on how long the COA can keep the agriculture issue off the negotiating table to safeguard Taiwanese farmers' interests, Chen said it is "a question no one can answer."

But he said Taiwan will not open its market further to mainland agricultural products. "At least not in my term," he said.

A total of 1,415 mainland agricultural products have been allowed access to Taiwan since the island's accession to the World Trade Organization in 2002, while 830 products are still banned.

The government pledged earlier that the ban on those 830 items will not be lifted. Officials said the upcoming ECFA talks will not touch upon agriculture issues, but did not say they would never be discussed.

Earlier in the session, ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Hsiao Ching-tien expressed doubt about the ECFA impact on Taiwanese agriculture, citing statistics that show Taiwan's imports of mainland fruit are 2.4 times those of exports to the mainland, while imports of mainland vegetables are 14.8 times those of exports.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/05/2010 page2)