Beijing leader promises pact won't harm farmers

Hu made the promises while meeting with Taiwanese businessmen operating in the agricultural sector, in the Chinese coastal province of Fujian, on Thursday, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA).

He said the negotiations for the signing of ECFA will be conducted whilst taking into consideration the interest of the Taiwanese people, particularly the farmers, CNA reported.

Hu 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 laborers.

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