WTOWTO and China and ChinaAgricultural Liberalization Agricultural Liberalization

and the Peasantry and the Peasantry

Luk Tak ChuenLuk Tak Chuen

Department of SociologyDepartment of Sociology

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityHong Kong Baptist University

The Public Hearing of Agreement The Public Hearing of Agreement of Agriculture in Geneva, 2003 of Agriculture in Geneva, 2003 • Right to Food, Food SovereigntyRight to Food, Food Sovereignty• Global Regulation of food and agricultural duGlobal Regulation of food and agricultural du

mpingmping• Oppose the hypocrisy of Developed Oppose the hypocrisy of Developed

Countries, i.e. US, EU Countries, i.e. US, EU （（ You liberalize, we You liberalize, we subsidizesubsidize））

• Demand US and EU to open marketsDemand US and EU to open markets• To regulate the global commodity markets, stTo regulate the global commodity markets, st

abilize market volatilities, i.e. coffeeabilize market volatilities, i.e. coffee

The Public Hearing of Agreement The Public Hearing of Agreement of Agriculture in Geneva, 2003 of Agriculture in Geneva, 2003 • Prevent the proliferation of GM products and the risPrevent the proliferation of GM products and the ris

ks posed to bio-diversity, bio-safety and local knowlks posed to bio-diversity, bio-safety and local knowledge and productionedge and production

• Prevent the oligarchy of global Agri-business, Prevent the oligarchy of global Agri-business, exploitation of peasants through agricultural exploitation of peasants through agricultural sub-contractingsub-contracting

• Emphasize the multi-functionality of agriculture, preEmphasize the multi-functionality of agriculture, prevent the dangers of commercialization posed to famvent the dangers of commercialization posed to family and community disorganization, local economy, tily and community disorganization, local economy, traditional and indigenous cultures, cultural and bio-raditional and indigenous cultures, cultural and bio-diversity, and ecological protectiondiversity, and ecological protection

The Public Hearing of AgreemeThe Public Hearing of Agreement of Agriculture in Geneva, 20nt of Agriculture in Geneva, 200303• Women’s voices and gender issues are ignored Women’s voices and gender issues are ignored

in trade negotiationsin trade negotiations• Trade rules should be overrided by the UN Trade rules should be overrided by the UN

conventions of Economic, Social and cultural conventions of Economic, Social and cultural rights, and bio-diversity conventionsrights, and bio-diversity conventions 。。

• Developed countries used agricultural Developed countries used agricultural negotiations as baits for developing negotiations as baits for developing countries on Singapore issues: Services, countries on Singapore issues: Services, government procurementgovernment procurement

International Civil Society’s sInternational Civil Society’s statement towards AoA tatement towards AoA • To stand up to the fact that Agro-businesses To stand up to the fact that Agro-businesses

are the forces distorting the world agriculturare the forces distorting the world agricultural marketsal markets

• Adopt the principles of food security and fooAdopt the principles of food security and food sovereignty, respect the rights of developmd sovereignty, respect the rights of development countries to adopt measures to protect pent countries to adopt measures to protect peasants from the volatile international markeasants from the volatile international markets, and the rights of food production in fostets, and the rights of food production in fostering communal life and traditional culture.ering communal life and traditional culture.

International Civil Society’s statInternational Civil Society’s statement towards AoA ement towards AoA • Allow countries to use import control or tariff Allow countries to use import control or tariff

to target dumping goodsto target dumping goods

• Demand the multi-lateral trade negotiations Demand the multi-lateral trade negotiations to pledge on protecting employment and to pledge on protecting employment and livelihood of developing countries, especially livelihood of developing countries, especially the vulnerable groups and womenthe vulnerable groups and women

• To regulate the structural imbalance between To regulate the structural imbalance between developed and developing countries in developed and developing countries in agricultural trade, i.e. food tradeagricultural trade, i.e. food trade

WTO Accession and the WTO Accession and the Chinese PeasantryChinese Peasantry

• Chinese negotiator Long praised Premier Chinese negotiator Long praised Premier Zhu’s Sudden Intervention and AchieveZhu’s Sudden Intervention and Achievementment

• Premier Zhu’s uncertainties and worries Premier Zhu’s uncertainties and worries • The vulnerabilities of three aspects of The vulnerabilities of three aspects of

the peasantry in confronting WTO: the peasantry in confronting WTO: agriculture, rural communities, and agriculture, rural communities, and the peasantrythe peasantry

Comparative Advantage and Comparative Advantage and DisadvantageDisadvantage

Comparative Comparative AdvantageAdvantage

vegetablevegetable XXXXXX

fruitfruit XXXX

NutsNuts XXXX

teatea XXXX

Aqua-Aqua-productsproducts

XXXX

MeatMeat XXXX

tobaccotobacco XX

ricerice XX

DisadvantageDisadvantagedd

cottoncotton XX

wheatwheat XXXX

corncorn XXXX

Soy beanSoy bean XXXXXX

oiloil XXXXXX

sugarsugar XXXXXX

Diary Diary productsproducts

XXXXXX

Forestry Forestry productsproducts

XXXXXX

Two and half years after accessioTwo and half years after accession into WTO n into WTO • Food securityFood security

– Import impact not obviousImport impact not obvious– Serious loss of arable, food supply decreases, food priSerious loss of arable, food supply decreases, food pri

ce increasesce increases– Serious impact on food shortage areas Serious impact on food shortage areas

• The impact of agricultural commodities The impact of agricultural commodities importimport

– Impact on Sugar Cane growersImpact on Sugar Cane growers– Impact on fruit growers under the impact of Early Impact on fruit growers under the impact of Early

Harvest Program in China-Asean FTA.Harvest Program in China-Asean FTA.– Rural re-structuring sporadically increases output Rural re-structuring sporadically increases output

Issues Issues

• PProblems in Rural Re-structuringroblems in Rural Re-structuring– Neglect the impact on peasants’ livelihood Neglect the impact on peasants’ livelihood

and changing to alternative productionand changing to alternative production– GGovernment’s coercion and orders in forcing overnment’s coercion and orders in forcing

peasants to follow peasants to follow – Irrational investment, neglecting market and Irrational investment, neglecting market and

technical problemstechnical problems– Intensive national and international Intensive national and international

competitioncompetition– RRisky agricultural investmentisky agricultural investment

Issues Issues

• Problems of agro-business + peasantsProblems of agro-business + peasants– Unequal statusUnequal status– GGovernment on the side of agro-overnment on the side of agro-

businessesbusinesses

• Problems in peasants’organizing in Problems in peasants’organizing in production and market bargainingproduction and market bargaining

– Unable to bargain with agro-businessUnable to bargain with agro-business

Issues Issues

• The problems in health and sanitary standThe problems in health and sanitary standards of agricultural exportsards of agricultural exports

– SSerious violation of food safety standards in erious violation of food safety standards in pesticides and anti-bioticspesticides and anti-biotics

– Threats to bio-diversity and ecologyThreats to bio-diversity and ecology

• Problems of providing domestic support Problems of providing domestic support – Peasants’ levies too highPeasants’ levies too high– Inadequate support to peasantsInadequate support to peasants

Issues Issues

• Migration, gender differentiation and Migration, gender differentiation and community dis-organization community dis-organization

– MMen as migrants, women stay behinden as migrants, women stay behind– IImpact on traditional communitiesmpact on traditional communities– Impact on indigenous culturesImpact on indigenous cultures

Issues Issues

• Deprivation of Land,water and Natural Deprivation of Land,water and Natural ResourcesResources

– Massive urbanization, land deprivation and Massive urbanization, land deprivation and displacement of peasantsdisplacement of peasants

– Massive industrial pollution of land and waterMassive industrial pollution of land and waterMega-development projects: Mega-development projects: • generate electricity in the West and sell to the East, generate electricity in the West and sell to the East,

massive dam displacement; massive dam displacement; • selling gas from the West and sell it to the East: selling gas from the West and sell it to the East:

land displacement by pipeline constructionland displacement by pipeline construction• Oil and Coal Exploitation: damage arable land and Oil and Coal Exploitation: damage arable land and

ecologyecology– Tourism development of Nature ReserveTourism development of Nature Reserve

Issue Issue

• Violation of the Rights of PeasantsViolation of the Rights of Peasants– Right to Economic autonomy against Right to Economic autonomy against

government and agro-businessesgovernment and agro-businesses– Sustainable livelihoodSustainable livelihood– Rights to land, water and natural Rights to land, water and natural

resourcesresources