Details cannot be disclosed, as negotiations are ongoing

The Executive Yuan will provide the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with information on the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with the mainland, but will withhold the details on Taiwan's early harvest list, "Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs" Lin Sheng-chung said Tuesday.

According to Lin, the proposed list for "early harvest" items that will enjoy immediate tariff concessions or waivers under the agreement cannot be disclosed at present, because negotiations with the mainland are still ongoing.

In preparation for an April 25 debate on the ECFA with "President" Ma Ying-jeou, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen had requested access to the early harvest list proposed by the government, the draft of the agreement, and any government-commissioned ECFA assessment reports.

Ma therefore instructed the "Ministry of Economic Affairs" and the Mainland Affairs Council Monday to compile the relevant documents and deliver them to Tsai. Ma said that all documents should be open to the public except for information related to the negotiations with the mainland.

At the same time, Ma expressed the hope that Tsai will provide data that justifies her party's opposition to the ECFA.

Lin Yu-chang, a DPP spokesman, criticized the "Presidential Office" Tuesday as "lacking sincerity" for planning to provide the party with unimportant publicity materials and to withhold the actual data that the party requested.

Lin also said the DPP's doubts over the ECFA and its call for a referendum on whether it should go ahead have been widely reported by the media and that the "Presidential Office" has no need to ask for further related information from the DPP.

Tsai Chi-chang, another DPP spokesman, reportedly described the ruling party as being "good-for-nothing" for requesting such information from the opposition party.

In response, "Presidential Office" spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said the DPP should not hold a double standard, since it was that party that set the precedent in which a debater would request information from his or her rival.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 04/14/2010 page3)