Chinese Media

Cross-Straits trade pact will soon pass the legal procedures

By Xie Yu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-07-10 13:43

Taiwan’s ruling Kuomintang (KMT) honorary chairman Wu Poh-hsiung said on Saturday that he believed the historical cross-Straits trade pact, signed in late June, will soon pass the legal procedures in the island.

Related readings:  Hebei-Taiwan direct flight rout to be opened in July  Quake rocks sea near Taiwan's Ilan  Rebellious Taiwan star shows ocean of creativity  Chinese mainland, Taiwan open new passenger sea route

Wu made the remarks in Guangzhou when addressing the opening of the sixth Cross-Strait Economic, Trade and Culture Forum, an annual forum between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the KMT.

"As peaceful development of cross-Strait ties wins support from the majority of Taiwan people, add to that our firm determination, I believed due legal procedures (for the ECFA) will be complete in the near future," he said.

The trade pact, namely Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed by Chinese mainland and Taiwan, focuses on tariff concession and market open, and aims to establish a systematic mechanism for enhancing cross-Strait economic cooperation.

More than 400 people from Taiwan and the mainland are expected to attend the forum on Saturday and Sunday in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province.

This forum, held closely after the signing ECFA, will focus on strengthening cooperation between new industries in Taiwan and mainland and will cover issues such as new energy development, energy conservation, culture and education.