Taiwan's self-economic zone: the Kuomintang League invited Chen Jizhong to have an open debate on the impact of the self-economic zone on Taiwan's agriculture.

In March this year, Kuomintang legislators introduced the draft "Special regulations on Free Trade Special Economic zones" in the Legislative Yuan, but it was not until Kaohsiung City Council members questioned that the degree of attention increased rapidly. Chen Jizhong, chairman of the Council of Agriculture, opened a live broadcast on Facebook on Monday. With the theme of "harming the farmers' self-economic zone chairman Chen Jizhong to analyze for you", it explained the advantages and disadvantages of the self-economic zone to agriculture and said bluntly that "it will kill Taiwan agriculture." Then, the National Party caucus of the Legislative Yuan held a press conference on Wednesday, pointing out that "Chen Jizhong's criticism is unfounded" and invited Chen Jizhong to have an open debate. The office of the chairman of the Council of Agriculture relayed Chen Jizhong's statement that if members of the KMT invited an open debate, "the chairman would gladly accept it."

In addition to Chen Jizhong's live broadcast to explain the impact of the economic zone on Taiwan's local agriculture, President Tsai ing-wen also posted a film on Facebook on the 8th, expressing his support for the views of the Council of Agriculture and saying, "…" . In particular, I told President Su that Taiwan's good tea must be maintained, and that 'Chinese tea' should not be allowed to be exported as' Taiwan tea 'after it has been processed in its own economic zone. " And asked Executive Yuan Su Tseng-chang to be a gatekeeper.

In response to questions from the outside world that low-priced agricultural products in the mainland may be imported in large quantities to replace domestic agricultural products as processing raw materials after the passage of the Special regulations on the Economic Zone, KMT legislator Zeng Mingzong said that Article 9 of the Special Bill on the Economic Zone stipulates, "… . When agricultural products manufactured or processed by designated enterprises in the first category are exported to domestic tax areas, they shall be subject to the approval of the central competent agricultural authority.... " The proprietary economic zone will not harm the rights and interests of farmers. He says: will the Council of Agriculture allow bananas, pineapples and other agricultural products already grown in China to be processed and then sold domestically?

Zeng Mingzong stressed that there are four differences in the free economic zone, including: it will not be washed of origin, will not compete unfairly, will not hurt agriculture, will not become an accomplice of the Communist Party of China, and will not open up mainland capital; outsiders have pointed out that open projects also include pork from Chinese mainland. KMT legislator Lai Shibao retorts that the special bill on the free economic zone does not contain quarantine regulations, and Chinese mainland pork and pork products still cannot be imported into Taiwan.

In addition to inviting Chen Jizhong to have an open debate on the economic zone, Zeng Mingzong also invited Minister of economy Shen Rongjin, Chairman of the National Development Commission Chen Meiling, and Minister of Finance Su Jianrong to participate in the debate. In this regard, the office of the chairman of the Council of Agriculture relayed Chen Jizhong's statement that if the special regulations of the self-economic zone are passed, it will have a great impact on the lives of the Chinese people, and the people of the whole country should pay attention to the impact of the self-economic zone on agriculture. "if KMT members invite members of the KMT to debate in public," the chairman will gladly accept it. "

Zhou Miaofang, deputy director of the Planning Office of the Council of Agriculture, pointed out that according to the draft of the self-economic zone put forward by the Kuomintang caucus, manufacturers located in the self-economic zone can import agricultural products duty-free for processing and re-export, which may replace domestic agricultural products. the Council of Agriculture estimates that it will impact about NT $200 billion in the output value of agricultural products processing. Is it possible that MIC will be changed into MIT? Zhou Miaofang said: although the certificate of origin is in charge of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, no matter whether it can be exported by MIT or not, manufacturers located in the self-economic zone after the passage of the draft will exclude opportunities for domestic agricultural products to enter processing plants because they can import low-priced foreign agricultural products duty-free for processing, and the price of agricultural products will fall, which will affect the livelihood of domestic farmers.

As for whether it is possible for Chinese mainland's 830 controlled agricultural products to be sold domestically after processing, Zhou Miaofang said that according to Article 9 of the draft, if these regulated agricultural products are to be transferred to domestic sale after processing, they must be approved by the Council of Agriculture. Therefore, although the Council of Agriculture checks the domestic sale, it is still necessary to set up a control and control mechanism to prevent outflow; in addition, is there any doubt about the import of Chinese mainland pork through the economic zone? She said that if the special regulations of the Economic Zone are passed, imported agricultural products will still have the problem of quarantine, and according to the current quarantine regulations, Chinese mainland pork can still not be imported.

Chen Jizhong, chairman of the Council of Agriculture, gave a live broadcast to explain the impact of the self-economic zone on Taiwan's local agriculture. (from Chen Jizhong, live on Facebook)

The National Party caucus of the Legislative Yuan held a press conference on Wednesday, pointing out that "Chen Jizhong's criticism is unfounded." (photo by reporter Lin Liangqi)