Groups protest Taiwan-China trade pact talks團體抗議台灣與中國的貿易協定談判

CNA
September 11, 2014, 12:01 am TWN

The ninth round of talks on the agreement began that day in Taiwan and is scheduled to last for three days. To ensure smooth proceedings, the government has decided not to reveal the location of the talks, a move that further angered the protesters.
Over 30 protesters led by the Democratic Front Against the Cross-Strait Trade in Services Agreement held up placards and chanted slogans, including “stop the trade-in-goods talks” and “MOEA, don't play hide and seek,” in front of the ministry.

TAIPEI -- Civic groups protested in front of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taipei Wednesday to oppose what they consider to be non-transparent negotiations over a trade-in-goods agreement with China.

The trade-in-goods pact will sacrifice the interests of Taiwanese farmers and workers and will benefit only a few large corporations, such as those in the petrochemical, automobile and flat panel industries, said Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強), one of the leaders of the Democratic Front.

He called on the ministry to reveal China's demands during the negotiations, as well as the goal for Taiwan-China trade liberalization, saying that South Korea and China have announced their goal in the seventh round of talks to push forward a free trade agreement between the two countries.

In response, Lien Ching-chung (連錦漳), deputy director-general of the MOEA's Industrial Development Bureau, who showed up to listen to the protester's demands, said Taiwan's representatives will do their best to negotiate the best deals for the country's industries and will “completely” protect and guard its sensitive industries.

Taiwanese industry representatives have already demanded that the government negotiate tariff reductions on over 4,000 products with China and protect 400-500 sensitive products, Lien said, adding that these demands have all been included in Taiwan's negotiation strategy.

As for revealing the trade liberalization goal, Lien said the government declined to provide a number at present because there is still a “very, very big gap” between Taiwan and China on the pact and the two sides are still working to close that gap.

Meanwhile, Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷), one of the two main leaders of a student-led occupation of the Legislature in March and April who was also among the protesters, demanded that the government cease all trade talks with China until the passing of a bill to monitor cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations.

Chen, a representative of the social group Taiwan March, expressed concern that the pact will suck capital out of Taiwan and into China and increase Taiwan's economic dependence on China.

團體抗議台灣與中國的貿易協定談判

中央社
2014年9月11日，上午12:01 TWN

台北 - 民間團體抗議在經濟事務部（MOEA）在台北週三前反對，他們認為什麼是不透明的談判，通過以舊換新，商品與中國的協議。

超過30個抗議者領導的民主陣線反對兩岸服務貿易協議在前面舉著標語牌，並高呼口號，包括“停止以舊換新品講座”和“經濟部，不玩躲貓貓”部。

第九輪對協定的談判開始的那一天在台灣，預計將持續三天。為確保順利進行，政府已決定不向外界透露會談的地點，此舉進一步激怒了抗議者。

以舊換新品協議會犧牲台灣的農民和工人的利益，也有利於只有少數大型企業，如中石化，汽車和平板行業，說賴仲江（賴中強）之一民主陣線的領導人。

他呼籲該部透露中國的談判，以及為目標，為台灣與中國的貿易自由化過程中的需求，他說，韓國和中國已經宣布他們在第七輪會談的目標是推動之間的自由貿易協定兩個國家。

對此，聯經忠（連錦漳），副總幹事的經濟部工業局，誰露面，聽取抗議者的訴求表示，台灣的代表將盡最大努力進行談判，為國家的產業最優惠的價格並且將“完全”保護和保護其敏感的行業。

台灣業界代表已要求政府進行談判關稅削減超過4000的產品與中國和400-500保護敏感產品，連戰補充說，這些要求都被納入台灣的談判策略。

至於揭示了貿易自由化的目標，連戰說，政府拒絕提供一些目前因為還有台灣和中國大陸之間的一個“非常，非常大的差距”的協議，雙方仍在努力縮小這個差距。

同時，陳煒婷（陳為廷），以學生為主導的職業立法機關在三月和四月誰也抗議者中的兩個主要領導人之一，要求政府停止與中國所有的貿易談判，直到逝世一項法案，以監控跨台灣海峽的談判。

陳，社會團體的台灣三月的代表，表示關切，該協定將資金吸出台灣進入中國，並增加台灣對中國的經濟依賴。