🎭 Double Standards in Full Record: The ECFA U-Turn from “Poisoned Gift” to “Disrupting Cross-Strait Relations”
In Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP’s eyes, ECFA was once branded with the following descriptors: “Severely harming Taiwan, abandoning Taiwan’s independent sovereignty, betrayal of sovereignty, asymmetrical treaty, poisoned gift.”
📅 March 29, 2010: The DPP’s Anti-ECFA Talking Points
The DPP held a party affairs roundtable discussion in Chiayi County, discussing grassroots elections.
Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen:
- The party has prepared anti-ECFA talking points, targeting different constituencies in urban and rural areas with strong explanations.
- To help all levels of society understand early that ECFA is an asymmetrical treaty that betrays sovereignty, and ECFA is a poisoned gift wrapped in sugar coating.
The DPP:
- If Taiwan signs ECFA with China, not only will it lose its sovereignty status, but disadvantaged industries will also suffer significant impacts and affect people’s livelihoods.
- The Ma administration is incompetent, only willing to lean toward China, completely ignoring the serious repercussions of signing ECFA.
- Signing ECFA abandons Taiwan’s independent sovereignty and disregards the people’s livelihoods.
- Such a government should be scorned by everyone and countered with all strength; we cannot let the Ma administration that clings to China’s legs do as it pleases.
- Strengthen counter-propaganda to prevent the Ma administration’s schemes from succeeding.
- ECFA affects farmers’ rights; the DPP, which cares for Taiwan, must strengthen its oversight.
- The party will hold anti-ECFA debate courses, inviting DPP representatives at all levels and interested parties to participate.
- Through organizational training, have people everywhere able to explain to the grassroots the severe harm that signing ECFA would bring to Taiwan.
📅 April 28, 2010: Commitment to Abolish ECFA Through Referendum
Tsai Ing-wen:
If the DPP comes to power, it will launch a referendum to abolish ECFA.
📅 September 11, 2010: ECFA Officially Takes Effect
The “poisoned gift” asymmetrical treaty that “betrays sovereignty” ECFA officially takes effect.
The agreement stipulates that once either party provides written notice to the other to terminate the agreement, it enters bilateral negotiation. If no consensus is reached, the agreement automatically terminates on the 180th day after notification from either party.
📅 May 20, 2016: Democratic Victory
President Tsai Ing-wen takes office; the DPP gains full power.
🔄 After Taking Power: From “Poison” to “Stabilizing Cross-Strait Relations” in ECFA
📅 October 18, 2021: Concerns About Termination
DPP legislator Chen Ting-fei fact-checks the claim that “Internet reports suggest China will unilaterally stop ECFA, with all tariffs on Taiwan resuming next year”—whether this is rumor or fake news.
Minister of Health and Welfare Wang Mei-hua responds that no such message has been received. If China declares unilateral termination, it will follow the mechanism’s procedures for negotiations.
📅 December 16, 2021: Reaffirming Validity
The “poisoned gift” asymmetrical treaty ECFA has been in implementation for 11 years.
The Chinese State Council announces that in the 2022 tariff adjustment plan, it will continue implementing the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between the two sides.
Our Mainland Affairs Council states that ECFA remains continuously valid with no change, that since implementation it has been mutually beneficial to both sides, reaffirming hope that the mainland does not terminate it due to political factors, which would damage cross-strait relations.
📅 April 19, 2023: Emphasizing Risks of Termination
Republic of China President Tsai Ing-wen, instructing the Executive Yuan handling “domestic affairs,” with the “Mainland Affairs Council” responsible for “cross-strait domestic affairs,” emphasized in the Legislative Yuan’s “Committee on Internal Administration”:
Terminating ECFA would cause losses to both sides and “damage cross-strait relations”.
Having a brain is truly a wonderful thing—pity the 8.17 million supporters of the DPP don’t have one.