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Editorial: Ma
backtracks on agriculture
While a growing number of Taiwanese have gotten used to President Ma Ying-jeou
(馬英九) reneging on campaign pledges, it is still shocking to see how brazenly he
flip-flops.
The latest entry on the long list of broken promises is the Ma administration’s
plan to lift restrictions on 830 types of Chinese agricultural products and
allow imports of Chinese agricultural raw materials for processing in the
proposed Free Economic Demonstration Zones. Media reports say the government
also plans to allow these Chinese products to be exported under Taiwanese brand
names, with 10 percent allowed to enter the local market.
Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji (陳保基) on Tuesday said that in the
next cross-strait negotiations, during which China might ask Taiwan to open its
market further to Chinese products, the government would uphold three
principles: protecting the interests of Taiwanese farmers, guaranteeing the
sustainable development of the agriculture sector and adding value to the
agriculture sector.
However sincere a face Chen may put on while trying to reassure Taiwan’s farmers
and agricultural industry, the public has all the reason in the world to be
doubtful, given the administration’s poor track record on keeping its word.
In a February 2009 interview with the Taipei Times Ma said: “Normalizing trade
and economic relations with the mainland does not necessarily mean allowing
Chinese labor or letting more Chinese agricultural products enter the local
market.”
In a January 2010 interview with the Taipei Times he reiterated that his
government would not allow the import of more Chinese agricultural products
under the then yet-to-be signed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. He
also denied that the government would be coerced into fully opening the markets
in 10 years under the agreement with Beijing.
Yet just three years later the government’s stance has completely changed.
Farmers’ organizations yesterday said they planned to take to the streets on
Sunday to protest against the government’s apparent U-turn. Farmers have good
reason to be concerned about how the planned moves might exacerbate an already
vulnerable agriculture sector.
A number of Taiwanese agricultural products have already fallen victim to
smuggled Chinese rivals as the result of the government’s inefficient efforts to
block them. The smuggled goods not only upset market prices, but also put the
nation’s food security at risk because the products are often substandard and do
not meet food safety regulations.
The 10 percent of Chinese products that are to be processed in the zones before
entering Taiwan’s market may also hurt the marketing of local agricultural
products. Made in Taiwan (MIT) products, which are highly regarded by consumers
worldwide, often sell for more than their Chinese counterparts. Many Taiwanese
are concerned that allowing cheaper Chinese agricultural raw materials to be
processed in the zones and then exported under the MIT brand will damage the
hard-won image of authentic MIT products.
Meanwhile, a host of other issues concerning the sustainable development of
agriculture, such as reviving fallow farmland, awaits action from the
government.
The Ma government needs to sit down with representatives of farmers’ groups and
listen attentively to their concerns and suggestions. Simply reciting slogans
about “three guarantees,” as Chen did, is no longer enough, given Ma’s lack of
credibility with the public.
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