An important reason for inking an ECFA with mainland China is the imminent threat to cross-strait exports from tariff exemptions between Beijing and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations beginning next year. “Our petrochemical, electronics components, textile and machine tool exports will be subject to 6.5 percent tariffs on the mainland, while ASEAN members’ products will be exempted from such duties,” Ma said. “Being excluded from economic agreements in the region could cost the island 114,000 jobs and see a fall in gross domestic product growth of 1 percent,” he added, citing Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research….<more>
Publication Date：03/06/2009
Section：Front Page
By Adela Lin