RIGHT ATTITUDE:Simon Chang said that his position on the trade agreement is apolitical, but he does not think he will still be in office by the time it is inked
Taipei Times
Jan 30, 2016
By Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
Vice Premier Simon Chang (張善政) yesterday said that president-elect
Vice Premier Simon Chang glances at his cellphone during an interview with radio host Clara Chou yesterday in Taipei. Photo: CNA
Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) attitude would determine whether the negotiation for a cross-strait trade in goods agreement could continue, calling on Tsai to “recognize” the results so far achieved by the negotiation team.
In a radio interview, Chang said his Chinese counterpart has an “ambivalent” attitude regarding the agreement, as “they do not know whether the negotiation and the outcome achieved so far will count when the next administration takes office, since there have been calls to scrap the cross-strait service trade agreement and restart negotiations.”
Chang said the current administration has little power over the fate of the deal and it depends on messages from Tsai and the Democratic Progressive Party in the next few months and Beijing’s reactions to them to keep the negotiations on track. [FULL STORY]
