TAIPEI: Taiwan and China resumed talks yesterday at an undisclosed location on a goods free trade agreement, sparking a protest against secrecy by demonstrators suspicious of closer ties with Beijing.
Economic Affairs Minister Woody Duh told reporters before the talks opened in the afternoon that Taiwan would focus on flat panels, petrochemicals, machine tools and automobiles where its industries are competitive.
But his ministry has declined to say where the three-day talks are being held, prompting suspicions from the political opposition and activists opposed to the pact.
“Why are the talks being held when the Legislative Yuan (parliament) is in recess? This is a procedure... intended to skip parliamentary supervision,” activist Chen Wei-ting told reporters as dozens of slogan-chanting demonstrators rallied at the ministry.
The talks had been delayed about five months following a series of major protests led by Chen and other student leaders against parliament’s earlier approval of a services trade agreement with the mainland. That pact provoked an unprecedented occupation of Taiwan’s parliament and mass street protests in March and April.
President Ma Ying-jeou earlier repeated his warning against delays in the two pacts, saying Taiwanese industries could be at a disadvantage against their South Korean counterparts once Seoul and Beijing finalise a free trade agreement. AFP
