Ma defends Taiwan’s trade pact with mainland
Print Edition
TAIWAN’S leader Ma Ying-jeou said yesterday that the island needed to pass a trade pact with China’s mainland for the sake of its economy, and called on protesters who have occupied the legislative body in protest to respect democracy and law, and leave.
Approval of the pact by the legislative body would pave the way for greater economic integration between the two former geopolitical foes, by opening 80 of the mainland’s service sectors to Taiwan and 64 Taiwan sectors to the mainland.
But the demonstrators have taken over “parliament” and massed in the surrounding streets for the past five days.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei, Ma said that Taiwan would suffer economically if it did not sign the agreement with the mainland, the island’s biggest export destination.
“I tell you once again, with a responsible attitude, that this is completely for the sake of Taiwan’s economic future,” said Ma, under whose rule since 2008 Taiwan has signed landmark trade and economic agreements with the mainland.
Ma and his ruling Kuomintang Party have promoted the pact, which faces a final review in the legislative body on April 8, as necessary to maintain Taiwan’s competitiveness and status as an export powerhouse.
Ma said he understood the passion of the mostly young protesters, as Taiwan ‘‘can only have a future if the youth care about it and are brave enough to participate.”
But he added that with their illegal occupation of the legislative body, they were affecting the work of the government, and should withdraw.
“If there is no rule of law, democracy cannot be protected — this is the government’s unswerving basic position,” Ma said.
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