A practical negotiation system to handle issues connected with
fishermen labor services should be established between the two
sides across the Taiwan Straits as soon as possible, urged a
spokesman from the Department of Foreign Economic Cooperation of
the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC).
"Such a system, involving non-governmental organizations, could
play a vital role in ensuring the healthy development of
cooperation in issues involving fishermen labor services across the
Straits and in protecting the legal rights of mainland fishermen,"
the spokesman said.
Responding to Tuesday's potential tragedy when 133 fishermen were
trapped in a fire on a vessel used as a floating hostel near the
port of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, he said: "We are very
concerned about the event and the fishermen involved."
Among the 133 on board the vessel, one was the Taiwanese captain
and five were Vietnamese, while all the rest are from the mainland.
One mainland fisherman, Zhang Qingliang, is still missing.
"We hope that the Taiwan side will take good care of the injured
and spare no efforts in the search for Zhang Qingliang," the
spokesman said, calling for the Taiwan side to keep in close touch
with the mainland.
"The main reason for the accident is Taiwan authorities' negligent
attitude towards the lives of mainland fishermen," the official
said. He urged the Taiwan authorities to make substantial efforts
to protect the mainland fishermen's legal rights and thus ensure a
healthy, long-term development of fishermen labor services across
the Straits.
"Again, the accident revealed that mainland fishermen's legal
rights cannot be fully guaranteed simply through existing
cooperation channels between the two sides," he said.
The rescued fishermen are now temporarily settled in a fishing
market in Kaohsiung and Taiwan authorities said they will be sent
back to floating hostels after the typhoon is over. For political
reasons, Taiwan authorities do not allow mainland fishermen to land
on the island.
Early this year, the mainland issued a temporary regulation
suspending cooperation with the Taiwan side in fishermen labor
services.
The fishermen from the mainland have helped to offset Taiwan's
shortage of laborers and have made a great contribution to the
development of Taiwan's fishing industry.
(China Daily July 11,
2002)