To help minimize the impact of a planned Taiwan-China trade pact on some local businesses, the Industrial Development Bureau under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will earmark NT$300 million (US$9.23 million) next year to serve that end, the bureau announced Thursday. The bureau said it has managed to come up with NT$100 million in funds to finance a set of auxiliar measures worked out by the MOEA with an aim to help some sectors overcome possible negative effects arising from an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China and free trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries. Twelve traditional sectors such as bedding, towel, ceramics and footwear, are widely believed to be most affected once the ECFA and FTAs take effect. The bureau said that it will allocate an additional NT$300 million from April next year to subsidize the auxiliar measures over the long term, which include setting up a certification system for locally produced fine-quality goods and creating an emblem for high-end quality products. A task force will also be formed and hold meetings periodically to assess the best means to help affected sectors in industrial transformation or competitiveness upgrading, it added. Meanwhile, it was reported that ECFA-related issues will be discussed in the fourth round of cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations when top negotiators from Taiwan and China meet later this month in Taichung City, central Taiwan. According to Ministry of Economic Affairs officials, the government hopes that formal ECFA negotiations can start by January 2010, when representatives of the two sides will exchange lists of products they hope will be covered by an early harvest program under the trade deal. Taiwan's government hopes the agreement to be signed as soon as possible in the face of increased economic integration in Asia, evidenced by an 'ASEAN plus one' arrangement which will take effect early next year and by an 'ASEAN plus three' pact by 2013. 