Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Pan Men-an (CNA file photo)

Taipei, June 19 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) asked the government Wednesday to postpone signing a service trade pact with China that it said will allow both Chinese workers and capital to enter Taiwan.

DPP caucus whip Pan Men-an said at a press conference that the service trade pact Taiwan is expected to sign with China June 21 in Shanghai should be postponed as it will impact the job market for 4.7 million Taiwanese workers.

He said the government has not talked to local businesses about the potential impact of the pact and has been avoiding questions on the issue.

Pan said that from the limited information his party has been able to receive, the service trade pact will open up Taiwan's beauty and hair salons, funeral industries, auto repair services, storage and warehousing services, long-distance bus services, hotels, restaurants, and social and welfare organizations to Chinese capital.

The pact will also enable skilled Chinese workers and their spouses to immigrate to Taiwan, according to Pan.

He said the government has not been transparent in its handling of the service trade pact.

DPP Legislator Huang Wei-cher urged the government to provide support measures to deal with the potential impact of the pact before signing it.

Taiwan and China inked the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) in 2010. Under the ECFA, Taiwan signed an investment protection pact with China in 2012 and is expected to sign the service trade pact in the upcoming high-level talks in Shanghai.

Taiwan is also expected to sign a goods and trade pact and a dispute settlement agreement with China in future talks.

(By Tseng Ying-yu and Ann Chen)
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