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■支持ECFA的台灣民眾表示，ECFA經濟增長的果實決不能用來購買武器，兩岸民眾必須「共享和平紅利」。資料圖片
台灣立法機構上月17日連夜表決通過兩岸經濟合作框架協議(ECFA)。支持ECFA的台灣民眾表示，ECFA經濟增長的果實決不能用來購買武器，兩岸民眾要「共享和平紅利」。ECFA符合兩岸經濟發展的客觀需要，有利於最大限度地實現兩岸經濟優勢互補、互利雙贏。ECFA的落實，標誌著兩岸經貿合作進入制度化軌道。
助台經濟增長 免被邊緣化
ECFA對台灣經濟具有特別重要的現實意義。大陸經濟在亞洲和世界的地位越來越重要，且大陸與東盟已啟動自由貿易區，台灣可以借ECFA避免經濟被邊緣化。根據台灣智庫指出，ECFA上路，光是關稅建立減免，一年就為台灣帶來295億元新台幣的優惠，將帶動台灣經濟增長率增加1.65至1.72個百分點，將為台灣帶來大約26萬個新的就業崗位。ECFA帶來的和平紅利，能讓台灣基層民眾共享兩岸經濟發展的果實，也能擴大台灣支持兩岸交流的民意基礎。台灣農民不少屬於綠營支持者，ECFA有助消弭他們對大陸的對立情緒，遏制「台獨」勢力。
停向美軍購 建政治互信
正如支持ECFA的台灣民眾指出，ECFA帶來的經濟增長果實，絕對不能用來購買武器。在ECFA實施後，台灣當局應停止向美軍購，這不僅有利於台灣民生福利政策的推行，也能深化兩岸政治互信，推動兩岸關係和平發展。
Peace Dividend Shared by Mainland and Taiwan as ECFA Goes Ahead
In a late night meeting on 17 August, the Taiwan legislature ratified the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement(ECFA). Taiwanese citizens who have supported ECFA, demanded that the fruit of economic growth from ECFA not to be used to purchase weapons, and stressing that the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should "share the peace dividend". ECFA meets the objective needs of the economic development of both sides of the strait and facilitates to the greatest extent the complementary developments, mutual benefits and win-win situations between the two sides. The ratification of ECFA marks the beginning of the institutionalization of cross-strait economic and trade cooperation.
ECFA has a practical significance that is particularly important to the economy of Taiwan. The economy of the mainland China is becoming more and more important in Asia and around the world, and the mainland China and the ASEAN have already initiated a free trade zone. With ECFA, Taiwan can save her economy from being marginalized. According to a think tank in Taiwan, with the introduction of ECFA, the exemption or reduction of duties will alone bring a benefit of NT$29.5 billion a year to Taiwan, the amount will contribute to a 1.65 to 1.72 percentage point increase to the growth rate of the economy, and a creation of approximately 260,000 new jobs. The peace dividend earned through ECFA will allow the grassroots of Taiwan to enjoy the fruit of cross-strait economic development and will also create a wider public support in Taiwan for various cross-strait exchanges. As many of the farmers in Taiwan are pro-independence green camp supporters, ECFA may help to end their hostility towards the Mainland and curb the influence of the "Taiwan independence" movement.
As many Taiwanese ECFA supporters pointed out, the economic gains brought about by ECFA must not be used to purchase weapons. Upon the implementation of ECFA, the Taiwan authorities should stop purchasing weapons from the USA. This not only benefits the carrying out of social welfare policies in Taiwan, but also strengthens mutual political trust between both sides of the strait and facilitates peaceful development of cross-strait relations. ■Translation by開明
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