Beijing promises trade pact will not harm Taiwan farmers

Chinese leader Hu Jintao, has assured that the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) between Beijing and Taipei will look after the interest of farmers in Taiwan. 

Hu made the promise while meeting with Taiwanese businessmen operating in the agricultural sector, in the Chinese coastal province of Fujian, on Thursday (Feb 11).

He said the negotiations for the signing of ECFA will be conducted while taking into consideration the interest of the Taiwanese people, particularly the farmers. He described ECFA as a ''good deed'' for promoting mutually beneficial economic cooperation across the strait.

Hu said the Chinese government last year decided to accelerate the development of Fujian into a cross-strait economic zone that will serve as a platform for exchange between China and Taiwan.

Fujian is right across the Taiwan Strait from the Kuomintang (KMT) controlled island.

But in Taiwan, the KMT government has yet to convince the local populace of the benefits of signing an ECFA with China. The government has promised that the ECFA will not open the Taiwan market to Chinese agricultural produce or labourers.