Signing the cross-Straits economic and trade pact, ECFA, will benefit Taiwan, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said Sunday in a television debate.

Ma debated with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen during a two-hour televised debate over the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), a free trade agreement the Taiwan authority intends to sign with the Chinese mainland.

Taiwan urgently needs a trade pact with China to usher in a golden decade of economic boom, Ma said, accusing DPP of exaggerating the adverse effects of ECFA and manipulating public fear.

Lee Tung-Hao, a professor with the National Chengchi University, said there are different voices over ECFA because of public misunderstanding of the pact, but the debate will help build consensus.

The ECFA, a priority in cross-Straits relations, is aimed at institutionalizing economic cooperation between the mainland and Taiwan and facilitating and regularizing economic and trade exchanges.