The ECFA will help both sides cut tariffs mutually, ease market access, promote economic cooperation, expand investment and trade exchanges and let compatriots on both sides enjoy political stability and economic prosperity, so as to lay a sound foundation for cross-Straits peace and development.
As hailed by Wang Yi, director of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, the signing of the ECFA has advanced the process of normalizing cross-Straits relations, identified the common goal of a comprehensive free trade agreement and built a platform for cross-Straits economic cooperation. It is of far-reaching significance for cross-Straits ties.
Finally, the signing of the ECFA is the fruit of enhanced cross-Straits mutual trust. Ever since the KMT, which is committed to peaceful development of cross-Straits relations, resumed power in May 2008, the two sides have stepped forward side by side based on the 1992 Consensus to counter Taiwan independence.
Thanks to that, Beijing and Taipei could achieve so many breakthroughs in their relationship and ties could develop peacefully over the years.
With the endorsement and implementation of the ECFA, cross-Straits relations will certainly head into a brighter future.
The author is a researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies under Beijing Union University.
(Source: China Daily)
