Semi-official agencies from Taiwan and China signed the landmark trade agreement on June 29, lowering cross-strait customs barriers and trade tariffs. Negotiators signed two copies of the agreement — one in traditional and the other in simplified Chinese characters.

Under WTO regulations, both sides must submit an English copy to the world trade body within a “reasonable period of time.”

“Because Taiwan and China did not sign an English version of the ECFA, we are concerned that our report to the WTO will not have a legal basis,” DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said in the legislature yesterday

The opposition party has raised concerns about some of the translations of certain words that the government would use in the English version, including the name that would be used to designate Taiwan.

Kuan also said that as the agreement lacked an official translation, it remained unclear which version — the Taiwanese translation or the Chinese one — would eventually make its way to the WTO.

Provided the legislature passes the ECFA, the English-language version would have to be reviewed by the WTO to ensure compliance with rules and standards.

See: Taipei Times