The Chinese government has urged Taiwan authorities to give more
care to Mainland fishermen who work for fishing companies from the
island province and lodge in temporary shelters.
Diao Chunhe, chairman of a Mainland coordinating committee on
cross-Strait cooperation on fishermen, made the call Friday, while
speaking about a fire that broke out on July 9 on a Taiwan boat
that was used as "hotel" for Mainland employees working for fishing
firms in Taiwan.
Labor exporting in the fishing industry was an important part of
the cross-Strait economic and trade cooperation, Diao said.
He
criticized the Taiwan authorities for their long neglect of the
legal rights and living conditions of transient Mainland
fishermen.
The situation had not changed, though the Mainland side had raised
serious complaints about the issue, he said.
Last year, the Mainland was forced to ban fishermen from working
out of Taiwan to protect their legal rights and interests, Diao
said, although some Mainland employees were still working out their
contracts in Taiwan.
"We are worried about the safety of these fishermen," he stressed,
adding that the Taiwan authorities must be held responsible for the
fire as they had failed to protect the Mainland fishermen's legal
rights and interests.
He
urged Taiwan Authorities to adopt substantial steps to deal with
the issue, in collaboration with departments concerned.
(Xinhua News
Agency July 12, 2002)