MTA: New Government Has a Willing Helping Hand in the Transitional Cabinet

MTA: New Government Has a Willing Helping Hand in the Transitional Cabinet

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)

A Translation

February 18, 2016

Executive Summary:

Premier Chang San-cheng recently told this newspaper in an exclusive interview that after more than a year of negotiations, on the Merchandise Trade Agreement (MTA), our side had reached a satisfactory point in the process of negotiations. He said that as to whether the negotiations should be halted or go on, he would invite the new government's transition team to review the results, and decide for itself whether anyone “sold out Taiwan,” whether Taiwan's best interests were considered, before deciding what to do next.

Full Text Below:

Premier Chang San-cheng recently told this newspaper in an exclusive interview that after more than a year of negotiations, on the Merchandise Trade Agreement (MTA), our side had reached a satisfactory point in the process of negotiations. He said that as to whether the negotiations should be halted or go on, he would invite the new government's transition team to review the results, and decide for itself whether anyone “sold out Taiwan,” whether Taiwan's best interests were considered, before deciding what to do next.

Consider what Chang San-cheng said, and compare it to the latest Cabinet priority bills list. The "Cross-Strait Agreement Oversight Bill" is nowhere to be seen. Thus we could almost be certain that the Ma government has yielded to the incoming government's "total rule" for it to decide whether to kill or to keep the oversight bill, the MTA, and the STA.

Over the past two years, the importance of the STA and the currently negotiated MTA to Taiwan have been obscured by bickering between the ruling and opposition parties. In the wake of the Sunflower Student Movement, the public expected greater social justice and equitable distribution of wealth. The Ma government failed to effectively communicate with the public. As a result, the STA and MTA were stigmatized as "backroom operations," as "pandering to [Mainland] China," and as "enriching the conglomerates."

Fortunately, after the mid-January Presidential and legislative elections, Taiwan will not hold any new elections for the next two years. Public opinion may revert to rationality and moderation. People may be able to consider just what sort of political, economic, and trade relations Taiwan needs to have with the Mainland? Will the new government reject the STA and MTA negotiated by the Ma government outright? Or will it retain it and allow it to go in force? Or to continue negotiations?

The DPP legislative caucus has been hurriedly trying to railroad a bill titled “Statute Governing Presidential Transition of Power.” The new version prevents the president from signing any international treaties or cross-Strait agreements during the transition period. That was astonishing, considering that the election is already over. The DPP is about to enjoy “total rule.” But its "Everybody else cheats!” mindset remains strong. The DPP has apparently forgotten that its most urgent duty at the moment is not only to oversee the caretaker or transitional cabinet, but to start fulfilling its campaign pledges and rebuilding the nation.

Beginning today, President-elect Tsai Ing-wen will pay visits to seven major industries. The public has pinned its hopes on the new leader. She would do well to listen to what industrialists have to say about the STA, MTA, and cross-Strait relations. After members of the two transition teams meet tomorrow, the DPP team might as well accept Premier Chang San-cheng’s invitation to let him join in and evaluate the results of past talks with the Mainland, and decide whether they really are utterly worthless?

Foes during an election are not necessarily foes in perpetuity. Tsai Ing-wen says she wants to “unite everyone on Taiwan." If so, she should think hard about maximizing the “surplus value” of the transition cabinet leading up to May 20. After that, Beijing will inevitably "listen to what she says, and watch what she does”. If we could keep the fruits of the STA and MTA, why wait for the last mile, for Beijing to raise the political ante? Why wait for bumps in the road? Why not allow the transition team to scrutinize the detailed lists of the STA and MTA and see if they contain anything that “sells out Taiwan”? If the Tsai government agrees with Chang San-cheng that we have reached a satisfactory point now, why not take advantage of the Ma government's cross-Strait framework blessed by both Washington and Beijing all along? Why not take advantage of “maintaining the status quo,” and use the opportunity to conclude the MTA and ratify the STA?

The Ma government was routed during the previous two elections. The main reason was that while pursuing economic growth, it failed to ensure equitable distribution of wealth. It failed to reduce the gap between rich and poor, between capital and labor, between big business and small. Once the new government comes to power and effects changes, it, too, must plan how to make the economic pie bigger. Otherwise, how would a small pie be enough?

During the election campaign, Tsai Ing-wen's economic policy platform called for innovation in five major industries. It also mentioned that we should look not only at GDP figures, but also value full employment and equitable distribution of wealth. Tsai is attempting to address the blind spots in Ma's political and economic policy. But she lacked a narrative on how to achieve Taiwan-Mainland cooperation for economic survival. This is what the new government will face in the future. Tsai may wish to use the STA and MTA as touchstones, to find the optimal solution, and avoid a nightmare scenario. Procrastination will never bring forth any change.

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