Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI3100
2005-07-22 03:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

CROSS-STRAIT ECONOMIC INITIATIVES STILL ON HOLD

Tags:  ECON EAIR EINV PREL TW CH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 003100 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/TC
DEPT PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2015
TAGS: ECON EAIR EINV PREL TW CH
SUBJECT: CROSS-STRAIT ECONOMIC INITIATIVES STILL ON HOLD

REF: A. TAIPEI 2654

B. TAIPEI 2732

C. TAIPEI 2881

Classified By: AIT Director Douglas H. Paal, Reason 1.5 d

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 003100

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/TC
DEPT PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/21/2015
TAGS: ECON EAIR EINV PREL TW CH
SUBJECT: CROSS-STRAIT ECONOMIC INITIATIVES STILL ON HOLD

REF: A. TAIPEI 2654

B. TAIPEI 2732

C. TAIPEI 2881

Classified By: AIT Director Douglas H. Paal, Reason 1.5 d


1. (C) Taiwan National Security Council Senior Advisor Chen
Chung-shin told econoff July 20 that progress on cross-
Strait economic initiatives was unlikely until late August
or into the fall. On prospects for cross-Strait charter
flight discussions, Chen said that Taiwan and PRC
authorities had been exchanging positions informally
through scholars and other indirect contacts. Although
both sides have publicly expressed willingness to proceed
with both passenger flights and cargo flights, Chen said
that they still differed on which kind of flight should be
given priority. However, he expressed optimism that there
would be progress by the end of August and the two sides
could proceed toward discussions using the Macao model
whereby industry organizations assisted by government
officials in an unofficial capacity would conduct
negotiations.


2. (C) On liberalization of Taiwan regulations governing
cross-Strait investment, Chen indicated that progress was
unlikely before the fall. He explained that further delay
was due to the PRC engagement of the opposition Kuomintang
(KMT) on cross-Strait economic issues that sought to
portray the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as
unable to manage economic issues. Chen argued that, under
these circumstances, the DPP government could not be seen
to yield to such pressure from the PRC and KMT. He
predicted that Taiwan might be able to lift restrictions on
investment in small-size TFT-LCD panel manufacturing and
semiconductor packaging and testing sometime this fall.
However, he said that restrictions on manufacturing
semiconductors with feature size finer than 0.25 microns
were more complicated because of technology transfer
concerns and would likely be subject to additional delays.
He also indicated that opening petrochemical investment in
naptha cracker facilities would take longer because of the
amount of capital involved in such investments (Note: AIT/T
will report on the impact of naptha cracker restrictions
septel. End note.)
PAAL