Almost every Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member is concerned about the progress of negotiations and talks on a proposed trade pact between Taiwan and mainland China, Taiwan's minister of economic affairs said Friday. Taiwan's active move to promote the signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China draws APEC members' attention, Shih Yen-hsiang noted in an interview with selfnews in Sapporo, Japan. Shih, leading the Taiwan delegation, arrived here Thursday for the two-day annual meeting of APEC trade ministers that began Saturday. He attended a formal welcoming dinner the previous evening, in which he was seen chatting with World Trade Organization Secretary General Pascal Lamy, as well as ministers and trade representatives of other nations, including China's Minister of Commerce Chen Deming. In the coming APEC meeting, Shih will conduct talks with Lamy. Asked whether he will hold talks with Chen or have a chance to talk about the ECFA issue during the meeting, Shih only said the APEC forum is a public occasion, on which he will meet all trade ministers of all member states to exchange opinions. Responding to questions on the widely-anticipated early harvest list of items that will have tariffs reduced immediately after the proposed ECFA deal is signed, Shih reiterated that items which are expected to affect Taiwan's employment, farmers and conventional medium and small enterprises, will not be put in the program for tax deduction or exemption. As to how many items of products will be included in the early-harvest list, Shih only said talks on the issue have not been finalized, but he confirmed that the number of Chinese products on the list will be less than the more than 300 Taiwanese products on the list. Shih, again, underlined the importance and urgency of the signing of the cross- strait trade pact, saying China, Japan and South Korea recently agreed among each other to be active in promoting the formation of a free trade agreement among themselves. Once the proposed Northeast Asian free trade zone is formed, Taiwanese companies will not be able to compete with rival businesses that enjoy preferential tax treatment in the region, Shih warned. 