Premier Wu Den-yih said Friday that an estimated 260,000 jobs are expected to be created in Taiwan after it signs a trade pact with China later this month. Wu was rebutting media reports that said the trade deal will cause 150,000 local people to lose their jobs, a day after Taiwan and China finalized the early harvest lists for goods and services to enjoy preferential treatment under the trade pact. According to the finalized lists, a total of 539 Taiwanese products and services will be given tariff cuts or improved market access under the cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) , more than double the 267 Chinese products and services included. At a ceremony to mark the reopening of the Alishan Highway to large vehicles, Wu said Taiwan managed to place more items than expected on its early harvest list and predicted the trade accord would help boost Taiwan's employment. Wu also said that most financial and economic scholars in Taiwan and abroad predicted Taiwan would benefit considerably from the ECFA even though it may negatively impact some local industries and services. However, the government has devised measures and earmarked funds to help sectors that could be affected by the ECFA to deal with the challenges and strengthen their competitiveness through industrial transformation and upgrading, the premier added. 