Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
TAIWAN-U.S. FTA WOULD BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL: CLA CHIEF
Washington, April 18 (CNA) Taiwan's top labor affairs official said Tuesday that the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between Taiwan and the United States would be mutually beneficial for the United States, China and Taiwan.
Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) Chairman Lee Ying-yuan made the remarks as he wound up a visit to the United States in which he pushed for the signing of an FTA between the two countries.
Lee, who arrived in Washington Sunday, said it is still difficult for the United States to sign an FTA with Taiwan, but added that the situation is "not completely hopeless."
According to Lee, if both sides were to sign an FTA, it would be beneficial for the United States, China and Taiwan and that China should have no reason to oppose it.
He noted that Taiwan is a major investor in China and that each year a great number of Taiwan tourists visit China, spending tens of billions of dollars there. China would indirectly benefit from a Taiwan-U.S. FTA, he said.
Lee noted that the present political atmosphere in the United States is more conservative and that the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress is more reserved about signing FTAs with other countries. But he added that there are still a lot of U.S. congressmen who sympathize with and support Taiwan.
With the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)-- a fast-track arrangement that allows the Bush administration to negotiate trade deals and present them to Congress for a simple yes-or-no vote -- approaching its expiration date at the end of June, it is believed that it will be even more difficult for the United States to sign FTAs with other countries after that.
But Lee said he learned from think tanks that Nancy Pelopsi, speaker of the U.S. House, might leave room for compromises on bills that are not related to ideological issues. The possibility that the TPA will be extended cannot be ruled out, he added.
Lee delivered speeches to think tanks and lobbied congressional support for the signing of an FTA during his visit, which will wrap up April 19.
