Taiwanese students, residents protest China trade deal at federal building
Protesters gathered in front of the Federal Building in Westwood to protest a trade deal in Taiwan. (Miriam Bribiesca/Daily Bruin)
By Kristen Taketa
March 30, 2014 7:38 p.m.
Hundreds of Taiwanese students and California residents rallied by the Wilshire Federal Building Sunday to protest a trade deal between the Taiwanese government and Beijing, which they believe will compromise Taiwan’s economic independence from China.
They came out to protest the Cross-Strait Services Trade Agreement that Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou is working to enact with China. If it is ratified, the deal would allow the two countries to open up branches or shops of service sector companies in the other’s territory. Ma has argued that the trade pact would benefit Taiwan economically, considering China is Taiwan’s biggest recipient of trade exports.
Yating Yang, a UCLA Extension student from Taiwan who is taking classes in interior design, said she and other protesters believe that the deal would allow China to exert greater control and influence over Taiwan and compromise Taiwan’s independence from China. She said she and other protesters believe China is trying to take over Taiwan, which separated from China 65 years ago.
“(The deal) is basically handing Taiwan over on a silver platter,” Yang said.
The protesters also said they are angry at Taiwan’s ruling Chinese Nationalist Party, which they say moved forward on the pact too quickly and without any transparency or consulting the public.
The protesters rallied peacefully in solidarity with ongoing protests in Taiwan, which have reportedly amounted to hundreds of thousands of participants and have occupied the Taiwanese legislature. Westwood’s protesters, most of whom are from Taiwan and mainly consisted of college students and older residents, were uniform in wearing black clothing and holding up sunflower stems, the symbol of the movement in Taiwan.
On Saturday, Ma said he would increase scrutiny of future pacts with China but would not back down on the current trade pact in question, according to the Associated Press. The trade deal still needs to be ratified by Taiwan’s parliament before going into effect.
Compiled by Kristen Taketa, Bruin senior staff.
