Andrew Hsia：ECFA Will Not Be Terminated Now
China Times, August 28, 2022
Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) returned to Taiwan yesterday after concluding his visit to mainland China, and he held a video press conference to report the results. People in Taiwan are concerned whether the products list for early tariff reductions (the so-called early harvest list) under the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) will be terminated because of the deterioration of cross-strait relations. According to Hsia, Deputy Director Chen Yuanfeng of the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) of the State Council clearly stated that mainland China does not want to see worsening cross-strait relations impacting the early harvest list. So Hsia believes that the issue should not present a problem at the present time. Responding to questioning by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Hsia emphasized that his visit was to show and convey cares for Taiwanese people living on the mainland. Hsia added, “The DPP administration should thank us instead of fabricating rumors to attack us. Shouldn’t we care for Taiwanese people living on mainland as brothers and sisters?”
Vice Chairman Hsia stated that because the TAO wanted to send him off on the evening of August 25, so he had dinner with its deputy director Chen Yuanfeng. Hsia asked Chen whether the early harvest list under ECFA will be cancelled, Chen formally responded that China does not want to see the worsening of cross-strait relations and clearly does not want to see the early harvest list be affected.
Hsia also said that as to the scam cases involving Taiwanese people stranded in Cambodia, Chen promised that the mainland is willing to offer telephone numbers so that families of Taiwanese victims can contact the Chinese side and they will offer assistance actively. As to the wishes of Taiwanese people on the mainland that the frequency and destinations of cross-strait flights be increased and the “mini-three links” ferry services between Taiwan’s offshore islands and the mainland be restored, Chen said that he wants to see good results, but problems exist both in mainland China and Taiwan, so the two sides should make efforts to resolve the difficulties.
Vice Chairman Hsia also had dinner with President Zhang Zhijun of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) on the evening of August 24. Hsia said he told Zhang that over 90 percent of people on Taiwan show dissatisfaction and are concerned with mainland China’s military exercises, and there are rumors that because of the deterioration of cross-strait relation, the early harvest list will be cancelled, so he wanted to know what mainland China thinks about this matter.
After Hsia met with Zhang, China restarted military exercises. Hsia reiterated that he told the mainland that military exercises are not helpful to peaceful development across the strait at all, the vast majority of people on Taiwan are uneasy, dissatisfied, and worried about mainland China’s recent military exercises encircling Taiwan, and if there are more military exercises, as long as they will impact the normal lives of people on Taiwan, KMT will definitely not accept the drills.
With regard to his dinners with Chen and Zhang, Hsia explained that he had submitted his travel plan in writing to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) two or three days before the visit and he had travelled according to the plan. In his notification to MAC, Hsia mentioned that it is possible he may meet people from TAO and ARATS, and he did have farewell dinners with Chen and Zhang.
Vice Chairman Hsia emphasized that he visited the mainland with a magnanimous mind, for the purpose of showing cares for Taiwanese people living on the mainland. He despises people who maliciously hyped his visit and linked it to the year-end elections. Hsia said KMT is doing the right thing and will not look back. Hsia also mentioned that former DPP Chairman Hsu Hsin-liang affirmed his visit, and the DPP should stop chasing after him. The current international situations are complicated and cross-strait relations are at a low point, so it is important and precious to maintain communication channels. The DPP government should do that but as they are at wits’ end, so the KMT is willing to shoulder the responsibilities. Hsia said he visited the mainland with an open mind, and he is neither selfish nor partisan, so what’s wrong to care for the rights and benefits of Taiwanese people on the mainland?
From: https://www.chinatimes.com/newspapers/20220828000272-260108