Taiwan Church News

3252 Edition

June 23 - June 29, 2014

Headline News

Protesting Assembly Held For Cross Strait Service Trade Acts Signed One Year On

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong

On June 21 2013, betraying the will of the Taiwanese, Ma Ying-jeou regime secretly signed with China the treaty of Cross Strait Service Trade Acts(CSSTA). In spite of erupting a series of protests in Taiwan island wide, like 318 Student Movement and a huge crowd assembly of five hundred thousands people on March 30 2014, under no consent from Taiwan society Ma regime still insists to pass the exclusive KMT version of CSSTA, the Special Act For Free Economic Pilot Zones(FEPZs) and the Supervisory Act of Cross Strait Agreement. Therefore, to awaken Taiwan society's consciousness and remember the day people were betrayed one year on, three student groups - Black Tide Union of Democratic Students, Black Island Youth Front and Struggling For Democracy - jointly hold a protesting assembly by the congress in the night on June 21 2014.

Wei Young, student leader and representative of these student groups, remarks that the main purpose of this assembly is to stop the law-making of the KMT version of CSSTA, the Special Act For Free Economic Pilot Zones(FEPZs) and the Supervisory Act of Cross Strait Agreement within the impending Provisional Congress Assembly in this summer, as these bills will seriously damage the sovereignty and interests of Taiwan as a country.

Ru Chung-chin, President of Taiwan Professors Association(TPA), points out the day Ma Ying-jeou signed CSSTA with China is also the day Ma regime lost her legitimacy. And it declared the revolutionary reform that Taiwan people will take back their rights resolutely. The real essence of CSSTA, though with an flamboyant free-trade slogan, is the complex and dirty exchange of politico-economical interests between KMT and the China Communist Party. The interests of Taiwan people will be exploited down to nothing accordingly.

Suffice it not yet enough, Ma further pushes the Special Act for FEPZs to facilitate his dream to draw China closer. As what could be done by the Special Acts of FEPZs can also be done by the the already established Act of Free Harbor Area, the only reasonable explanation of Ma's FEPZs is to speed up the Chinese conglomerate financial groups to flood into Taiwan. It not only aroused the fear of Trojan horse effects on CSSTA, but also on the future "Cargo Trade Acts" to be negotiated, as it would accelerate the actual immigration from China to Taiwan and do a lots of harm than benefits.

Ru said that Ma regime is selling Taiwan piecemeal: making fuss of Taiwan economics without taking any responsibilities; offering franchised privileges to Chinese capitalism without supervision. Reflecting the heavy tasks ahead for Taiwan civil groups, Ru urges citizens should not only stand up to protect Taiwan economics but also fight for Taiwan's sovereignty, as Ma regime is steep within her illusion and keeps using propaganda to cheat Taiwanese people.

Su Beng, the 95-years-old godfather theorist of the left-wing Taiwan Independence Movement, speaks to the audience that the students awakened to learn the difference between Taiwan and China after 318 Student Movement. And the proposal that the Republic of China belongs to the Taiwanese is wrong-headed, as it is not Taiwanese Nationalism which means the future of the Taiwanese are composed (a) politically, we have to build our country, (b) economically, ours is national economics, and (c) culturally, we have a multi-ethnics culture. And to achieve these goals, first is clear head, second determined heart, third requires strategy and tactics and fourth a long life.

Representative of Aboriginal Youth Front, speaking for the Taiwanese aboriginals, points out that the voice of the aboriginal needs to be heard within Taiwan society. Only with a will to acknowledge and understand the opinions from the marginalized aboriginals, can we say we are the families. Otherwise, even if Taiwan independence can be realized some day, that could be just another hegemonic alien power inflicting their will and domination on the Taiwan aboriginals.

Translated by Peter Wolfe