The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated today (March 12, 2005) that China is facing severe agricultural problems internally. Problems such as production and sale of agricultural products, taxation, and land expropriation have often resulted in demonstrations, protests, or violent actions by the farmers. However, the Chinese government has recently attempted to use “united front” tactics in the name of agricultural cooperation to entice Taiwanese farmers and relevant enterprises. Its objective is to acquire Taiwan’s agricultural techniques and resources as a solution to its “three agricultural issues” (agriculture, rural areas and farmers). The MAC urges all sectors in Taiwan to be more vigilant towards China’s true intentions behind the “non-peaceful means” that underline its recent passage of the “anti-separation law” (so-called “anti-secession law”), and not to fall into the malicious and pretentious “united front” trap of the Chinese government.
The MAC indicated that the “three agricultural issues” (agriculture, rural areas and farmers) are currently the biggest problems facing the Chinese government. More than three million Chinese farmers have participated in large-scale mass protests during the past year. These incidents have reflected severe problems such as taxation pressure faced by the farmers, extortion and corruption of government officials, as well as land expropriation issues and rural reform. These problems have forced farmers to launch systemized protests and demonstrations, which have resulted in serious injuries and death of public security authorities and civilians during the conflicts. The most serious problems facing China today are “the miserable farmers, the poverty-stricken rural areas, and the crisis-ridden agricultural sector.” According to academic research findings, there are over 900 million farmers in China, yet their income is one-third less than that of urban and township residents. As of 2004, more than 26 million people in rural areas live in “absolute poverty” with annual income of less than 668 renmenbi (approximately NT$2,700). Due to the urban-rural disparity, as well as the lack of protection for farmers’ livelihood, protests by farmers have become a potential source of social instability in China.
The MAC stressed that Beijing has failed to systematically mitigate the root cause of the “three agricultural issues”, and has ignored the interests and rights of farmers and serious problems of extortion and corruption by government officials. Instead, China has on one hand, approved to allocate large amounts of its budget in military deployment against Taiwan, and on the other hand enticed the Taiwanese farmers and agricultural organizations to export highly competitive industries and technologies to China. The political intention of the Chinese government is very obvious. The MAC indicated that although Taiwanese agricultural exports to China can increase the short-term benefits of some farmers, the relevant issues facing Taiwan’s agricultural sector must be resolved through overall planning and negotiation to safeguard the farmers’ long-term and overall interests. China’s unilateral relaxation measures are politically motivated and will only cause more uncertainties in the development of Taiwan’s agricultural industry.
The MAC stressed that after the passage of the “anti-separation law,” the Chinese government has attempted to thaw the cross-strait exchanges in different fields and attract Taiwan’s economic resources by creating short-term benefits. By doing so, China portrays itself as an active participant in cross-strait exchanges and finds an escape route from public condemnations of its passing of the “anti-separation law.” The MAC hopes that political parties and civilian organizations currently active in cross-strait exchanges will see through China’s hypocritical “two-faced” tactics. The MAC also urges them not to fall into China’s “united front” trap and not to jeopardize Taiwan’s overall interests and dignity.
The MAC solemnly indicated that the Beijing authorities should sincerely try to resolve the “three agricultural issues” through the establishment of democratic and diverse institutional reforms. Beijing should promote the establishment of autonomous organizations in the rural areas progressively, as well as facilitate independent and autonomous operations in production, research and development, distribution, and promotion. The MAC stated that after the objective conditions in China have improved, the Taiwanese government will be willing to promote cross-strait agricultural cooperation through bilateral negotiations between authorized representatives of both sides. Taiwan can help China learn the Taiwan experience, and provide China with concrete measures to implement rural reforms, in order to thoroughly resolve its “three agricultural issues.”