Farmers’ group to visit China, discuss exporting fruits

An association representing Taiwan farmers will visit China next week to discuss with its counterpart exports of the island’s fruits across the strait.

The trip has led Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council to warn that the association better refrain from signing any documents in China, saying any such move would be deemed as breaking the island’s law.

In response, the Taiwan Provincial Farmers’ Association Chairman Liu Chuan-chung said the body will obey Taiwan’s law and respect the Taipei government’s authority to the full.

The association could violate the law if they talk with China on matters concerning the exercise of public authority without prior authorization, the Mainland Affairs Council warned in a news release yesterday.

The council said that if the farmers’ body only wants to exchange views with China, the government will not oppose such a move.

However, if the association, without prior authorization, engages in any activities that would require government mandate, the government will have to deal with the situation in accordance with law.

The council noted that the government has not placed any restrictions on fruits exported to China.

But it pointed out that China should take the initiative to improve such problems as high tariffs, poor marketing networks and warehousing facilities.

Liu’s upcoming trip will be the first of its kind after Premier Frank Hsieh said a few days ago the government will commission the Taiwan External Trade Development Council to help with the communications and arrangement of such matters as tariffs, quarantines, inspections and customs clearance with the other side of the Taiwan Strait.

With only a home population of 23 million, Taiwan’s farmers are desperately trying to sell their produce to the vast Chinese market.

But Liu, who is also an opposition Kuomintang legislator, said he doesn’t plan to sign any statement after talks with his agency’s Chinese counterpart this time.

Liu said the trip is being arranged at the invitation of the Cross Strait Association on Trade Exchanges, a non-profit organization set up by China’s Ministry of Commerce, and that the talks will be between two civic organizations.

There were media reports saying Liu’s association will also discuss with Chinese negotiators the issue of Taiwan fruits being granted tariff free treatment by Beijing by July.

Instead of signing an agreement, the association may release a joint statement with China’s Ministry of Commerce after the talks.

This is to bypass Taiwan laws that prohibit civic organizations from negotiating or establishing an agreement with Chinese authorities without the government’s authorization, the report said.

He said the association is only trying to help Taiwan farmers sell their fruit in China, calling the trip a “purely business activity.”

The lawmaker stressed that he is a law-abiding person and will not do anything detrimental to national interests.

However, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was doubtful of Liu’s motive.

William C.T. Lai, a whip of the DPP legislative caucus, said there is simply no need to Liu’s association to fly over to China.

The government, said Liu, has decided to authorize the Taiwan External Trade Development Council to negotiate with China under the World Trade Organization framework on details concerning the sale of Taiwan agricultural products to China.

But China is trying to deal with the issue as some kind of domestic transaction and to downgrade the status of Taiwan to become a local government under China by opting to hold talks with Liu’s association, Lai said, urging Liu not to fall into the trap set by Beijing.

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