Do Not Allow DPP Sinophobia to Hijack Taiwan's Economy

Do Not Allow DPP Sinophobia to Hijack Taiwan's Economy
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
October 31, 2013

Summary: Taiwan is not some remote Shangrila. It cannot remain aloof to global competition and political realities. Preventing free trade with the Mainland means preventing the establishment of FTAs between Taiwan and the global economy. The reactionary and Sinophobic Democratic Progressive Party cannot lead Taiwan during the current wave of globalization. How can we possibly allow the DPP to hijack Taiwan's economy and lead us to ruin?

Full text below:

The day before yesterday the legislature swiftly passed the Taiwan New Zealand Economic Partnership Agreement (ANZTEC) and amended the Trade Law. Ruling and opposition party legislators agreed that the law should go into effect as soon as possible. They agreed to amend the Customs Import Tariff next Tuesday during its third reading. This shows that TISA was stalled in the Legislative Yuan because the Legislative Yuan refused to act, and not because it could not act. TISA took an excruciatingly long time to pass.

The Mainland Region is Taiwan's largest trading partner. In 2012, bilateral trade reached $160 billion. New Zealand is our 10th largest trading partner. Taiwan New Zealand trade last year amounted to 12 billion NT, only 10% of cross-Strait trade. New Zealand's main exports to Taiwan are agricultural products. They have a greater impact on our agriculture. In today's Legislative Yuan, the DPP has the final word. Alas, the DPP's attitude toward the Taiwan New Zealand Economic Cooperation Agreement and the highly advantageous TISA has been mindlessly Sinophobic. Some DPP officials are enthusiastic. They are trying to improve relations with the Mainland. But the essence of the DPP has not changed since the Chen Shui-bian era. The DPP would rather starve to death than end its enmity with Mainland China. As long politics trumps economics, Taiwan's economy will find it difficult to survive.

Taiwan's economy is sick. It is on life support. According to Ministry of Economic Affairs and Department of Statistics, Europe and America have bounced back. As a result Taiwan exports grew 2% over last year, better than expected. But among the traditional industries, including machinery and base metals, demand has remained weak. We have traditionally led Korea in machine tool exports to the U.S.. But purchase orders show that in September of this year, our positions were reversed for the first time in history. This was probably due to the impact of the US South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Six ASEAN countries have apparently ordered petroleum products from the Mainland instead of from us. This is probably due to the impact of the Mainland's trade agreements with six ASEAN countries.

Taiwan must swiflty increase its participation in global FTAs. Only then will it be able to compete with South Korea and the Mainland. Zhu Yunpeng, former Chairman of the Insurance Stabilization Fund, has warned that Taiwan and South Korean exports have a 63% overlap. South Korea and the Mainland will sign an FTA next year. This is sure to impact the domestic textile, petrochemical, and semiconductor industries. Korean service industries will also make a major drive into the Mainland market. They have swiftly passed TISA and TIGA. Taiwan may have difficulty maintaining even a 2% growth rate. Mainland "department store king" Wang Heng is the Chairman of the Golden Eagle Group. Wang said Taiwan has lagged behind Singapore and South Korea in signing FTAs with foreign governments. This has led to a decline in Taiwan's imports and exports. Taiwan must be alert to this.

Taiwan is accustomed to being first among the Asian Tigers. Today however, it is first only in unemployment. The public is worried sick. But the politicians persist in their mud slinging. Major bills remain stalled in the legislature while the ruling and opposition parties dither. Demagogues take to the street to denounce the president, oblivious to the fact that political protests merely increase domestic strife and universal anxiety. They do nothing to improve the stifling economic atmosphere. The Ma government lines up economic advisors who paint a rosy pictures. Noted economic advisors on the periphery of government offer clear and logical solutions. But given the realities of politics they are all for naught.

Take TISA for example. The legislature called for 16 public hearings before beginning its review. The KMT has held eight public hearings in short order. The DPP by contrast, has held one public hearing every two weeks. It will take four months to hold them all. The DPP's intention is obvious. It is determined to delay the bill until next year. It wants to make TISA its opening shot in next year's Seven in One Elections. It wants to turn a plain and simple economic and trade agreement into a DPP campaign tool. Taiwan's economy has long been crippled this way by the DPP.

Every year millions of people from Taiwan visit the Mainland, for tourism, education, employment, business, or capital investment. The emigration of people with talent is obvious. Taiwan's spending power has been relocated. Some fear Taiwanese will weary of Mainland tourists if too many are allowed in. Mainland capital is considered as fearsome as a man-eating tiger. Mainland talent is considered just as fearsome because they might steal our childrens' jobs. We no longer have the courage to fight. We expect a life of ease. We want our little pleasures. People overseas with lofty aspirations scramble to make something of themselves. But here on Taiwan, such ambitions have vanished amidst political bickering and confrontation. Our capital and talent have steadily flowed outward. Outside capital and talent meanwhile, have not flowed inward. Taiwan's economy has steadily shrunk. Taiwan's atmosphere has become stifling. Even the little pleasures have become luxuries.

The Democratic Progressive Party ruled for eight years. Does it really not understand the importance of opening Taiwan to the global economy? As Vision Magazine founder Charles Kao said, the global economy may be in an indeterminate state. But the Mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have evolved into an economic region rivaling the United States. This represents the "Chinese Century." The world cannot ignore the existence of Mainland China. How can Taiwan remain outside of it, and forsake an advantage that is rightfully ours? Economic opening involves shocks. The Taiwan New Zealand Economic Partnership Agreement will result in shocks. But when the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, the choice is clear. One must welcome competition in order to move forward.

Taiwan has never been afraid of competition. It has only been afraid of not having a stage. In the early years, Taiwan businessmen traveled the world over with only a suitcase in hand, drumming up business. In the early years, Mainland policy was uncertain. Courageous businessmen ventured onto the Mainland to seek their fortunes. They long ago proved that Taiwanese have the courage and determination. Yet the DPP continues to dig its heels in over TISA. It purports to be "protecting Taiwan businesses." In fact, it is doing just the opposite. It is binding them hand and foot.

Taiwan is not some remote Shangrila. It cannot remain aloof to global competition and political realities. Preventing free trade with the Mainland means preventing the establishment of FTAs between Taiwan and the global economy. The reactionary and Sinophobic Democratic Progressive Party cannot lead Taiwan during the current wave of globalization. How can we possibly allow the DPP to hijack Taiwan's economy and lead us to ruin?
   
中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2013.10.31
不容恐中民進黨綁架台灣經濟
本報訊

    　立法院前天火速通過《台紐經濟合作協定》（ANZTEC）和《貿易法》配套修正案，朝野立委為了讓協定盡速生效，協商確定下周二將三讀通過《海關進口稅則》配套修正案，證明《兩岸服貿協議》在立法院卡關，是立法院不為，而非不能，《服貿協議》果然是「不可承受之慢」。

    　中國大陸是台灣最大貿易夥伴，2012年雙邊貿易額達1600億美元，紐西蘭是第10大貿易伙伴，台紐去年貿易額為120億元，為兩岸貿易量的10％，紐西蘭主要輸出農業產品，對我農業影響較大。今日立法院「民進黨說了算」，而民進黨在《台紐經合協定》與《兩岸服貿協議》間捨大就小，赤裸裸展現「逢中必反」姿態，我們必須指出，部分民進黨人士雖熱衷登陸，試圖與大陸改善關係，但本質並未改變陳水扁時代「寧餓肚皮誓與中國為敵」的思維，台灣在先政後經政黨勢力干擾下，經濟將很難死裡逃生。

    　是的，台灣經濟生病了，而且病得嚴重。根據經濟部統計處數據，在歐美景氣回溫情勢下，台灣外銷訂單較去年同期成長2％，表現優於預期。然傳統產業包括機械、基本金屬在內，需求卻仍然疲弱。分析訂單變動情形發現，我工具機在美國進口市占率始終領先韓國，9月卻出現逆轉首次超越我國，可能與美韓自由貿易協定（FTA）生效有關；東協六國油品訂單有由我國轉往中國大陸的跡象，應是受大陸與東協六國貿易協定的衝擊。

    　台灣必須加速進入全球FTA體系，才有機會與韓國、中國大陸競爭。前政務委員、保險安定基金董事長朱雲鵬曾經警告，台灣與南韓出口產品有63％重疊，南韓明年將和大陸簽署FTA，勢必衝擊國內紡織、石化、半導體等產業，服務業也將大舉進軍大陸市場，不盡速通過《服貿協議》與貨貿協議，台灣經濟成長率可能連「保二」都困難。有大陸百貨王之稱的金鷹集團董事長王恒提醒，台灣與外國簽署FTA的進度落後於新加坡和南韓，造成台灣進出口下滑趨勢，台灣必須警覺。

    　習慣亞洲四小龍第一地位的台灣，如今只剩下失業率第一，全民陷入焦慮，卻依舊在政治爛泥中打轉，重大法案在國會苦等朝野協商，街頭流行鞋嗆總統，絲毫未察覺政治抗爭只是加重內耗與全民焦慮，無益改善形同窒息的經濟情勢。馬政府一字排開不可謂不亮眼的財經官員、乃至政府外圍的重要財經顧問，講起解決方案頭頭是道，面對政治卻個個一籌莫展。

    　拿《服貿協議》為例，立法院要求舉辦16場公聽會後才開始逐條審查，國民黨已經密集舉行8場公聽會，民進黨卻2周舉辦1場，得4個月才能完成前置作業，其用心路人皆知，就是要硬拖過今年，把《服貿協議》當成明年七合一選舉的子彈，單純的經貿協議成為民進黨拚選舉的工具。台灣經濟飛毛腿早就被民進黨打成半殘了。

    　台灣每年有上百萬人次在大陸，不論是觀光、就學、就業或經商，資金、人才外移趨勢明顯，意味台灣消費力的外移；畏懼開放的結果是大陸觀光客來台多了，台灣人嫌煩，講到陸資就像碰到吃人的老虎，講到外來人才就怕搶了子弟的工作機會，我們不再有爭第一的氣魄，卻期望過「小日子」、享受「小確幸」，海洋子民爭逐世界的豪情壯志，早在持續不斷的爭辯與對抗中消磨殆盡，資金、人才不斷流出，外面的資金、人才卻進不來，台灣經濟規模愈壓縮，社會氣氛愈悶，最終連享受小小幸福都成了奢侈。

    　曾經執政8年的民進黨，豈不知向世界開放對台灣海島型經濟體的重要？誠如《遠見》雜誌創辦人高希均所言，儘管全球經濟處於不確定狀態，但兩岸三地已發展成為僅次美國的經濟實力，可稱為「中華興起」的時代，世界不能無視中國大陸的存在，台灣又豈能自外於原本就該屬於我們的優勢？開放必有衝擊，《台紐經濟合作協定》何嘗沒有衝擊？當利大於弊，如何選擇就非常清楚，只有迎向競爭才能進步。

    　台灣從來不怕競爭，只怕沒有舞台，不論是早年拎著皮箱全球闖蕩的外銷商，或早在大陸政策環境仍不明朗之際，就勇於登陸闖出一片天的企業主，早已證明台灣人的勇氣與拚勁。民進黨卡住《服貿協議》自以為「保護台灣產業」，卻恰恰相反綁住台商的拚搏幹勁。

    　台灣不是孤立的世外桃源，不可能免於全球競爭，政治現實下，擋住與大陸的自由貿易進程，就是擋住台灣與全球建立FTA的進程。保守恐中的民進黨不可能帶領台灣衝上這一波全球化浪潮，台灣經濟豈能讓民進黨綁架而至滅頂？