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Opening of "Three Direct Links" Allows No Delay Any More
The preparatory meeting of "Taiwan Economic Advisory Council " which had caused much noise and attention was finally staged on July 22 for Taiwan has been plagued over a year by political turmoil, economic recession and a decline of people's life quality.
Can a single meeting save the island from sinking further into economic difficulties? It depends on what recipe is prescribed and the way it is dispensed by Taiwan authorities.
The Taiwan economy is ailing with an "economic growth rate" incessantly lowered by relevant departments on the island. The predicted rate just published by "Academia Sinica" a few days earlier was cut to 2.38 percent, while latest figure from "Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research" stood at 2.22 percent, hitting a record low since 1975. Stock index and exchange rates also made nosedives and unemployment rate hit 4.22 percent in June, two times of that in depressed 80s and supposed to rise higher in the coming job seeking boom in the summer.
What's the focus of Taiwan's disease? The authorities attribute the island's economic difficulties to global recession and inter-party political strife on the island but never mentioned the impact of cross-Straits relations. Many Taiwan people have pointed out that to change the situation the island's authorities must handle cross-Straits relations properly instead of indulging in large-scaled conferences. This time's meeting claims five groups and five major topics, but the real questions only lie in trade between Taiwan and the mainland, whether to open "three direct links" (trade, mail, and air and shipping services across the Taiwan Straits) and whether to discard "no haste, be patient" policy.
In fact, Taiwan people, especially those from industrial and commercial circles, all have pointed out the importance and urgency of opening "three direct links" and getting rid of the said policy to solve economic problems.
The general public is still worrying whether Taiwan authorities would really realize "three direct links" if they do reach consensus on this point. About 51 percent Taiwan people hold that even the meeting agrees to relax the "no haste, be patient" policy, it would not be carried out entirely by the authorities, according to a latest poll.
However, influenced by the three links topic, stock index of Taiwan, especially those for shipping, suddenly surged up, which means it is the will of common people and historical trend to open three links.
Taiwan people would be blessed if the authorities could comply with people's will by taking actual actions to remove the "no haste, be patient" policy and open three links as soon as possible.
By PD Online staff member Li Heng
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