Globalisation
WTO Protest: Global Days of Action On November 10, 2001, a protest was held outside the PRC's Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong to mark China's accession to the WTO. The action, organised by the coalition Labour Rights in China (LARIC), submitted a letter addressed to President Jiang Zemin calling for recognition of freedom of association in mainland China. The opening of the letter reads:
"The WTO itself is not a democratic organisation. In addition, there are members of the WTO which are governments formed undemocratically and hence they do not represent their people. The Chinese government is one of them. Over the last 15 years the Chinese people, in particular the peasants and workers, have had no knowledge of the GATT or the WTO, nor have they had any opportunity to influence the Government during the negotiations so that their rights and interests would be protected. As a result, after China's accession into the WTO, a tremendous but as yet unknown price will be paid by these workers and peasants."
|
|
