Premier Jiang Yi-huah today expressed extreme disappointment and pain at the actions of demonstrators who stormed the Executive Yuan in protest against the Cross-Strait Agreement on Trade in Services on Sunday night.
Speaking at the Executive Yuan to international press, Jiang said some media outlets are depicting the police's defense of the compound as a "bloody crackdown" while broadcasting nonstop images of injured protesters, but their comparisons of last night's events to the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre in mainland China are a gross distortion of the truth. He insisted that this type of hearsay and sensationalistic journalism is both regrettable and objectionable and urged the public to resist being influenced by such misrepresentations.
The highest administrative organ in the country, the Executive Yuan is also the administrative hub of the ROC, he pointed out. It must maintain operations 24 hours a day to respond to any crisis, such as a large earthquake occurring somewhere in Taiwan or missiles being test-fired from North Korea.
The Executive Yuan building also holds important information on interior, foreign, economic and social welfare policies, as well as national security documents, he continued. It is not a place that should be usurped, occupied or damaged. Thus the Executive Yuan could not sit idly and watch the social disorder and degradation of national public authority that took place last night.
Regarding the protesters' call for workers and students to stage strikes nationwide, Premier Jiang urged people everywhere to remain calm and rational.
"A national student strike would only disrupt the teaching plans of professors and schools, while a worker strike would deal a blow to Taiwan's economy and social stability," said the premier. He called on protest groups not to impede national governance by escalating conflicts and causing upheaval.
The government respects young people's holding of demonstrations and sit-in activities around the Legislative Yuan and affirms their enthusiastic concern for national affairs, indicated Jiang, adding that until yesterday, they had admirably displayed self-restraint and appealed for rationality and peace. However, he still upholds that their illegal occupation of the legislative chamber not only is an unacceptable way of protesting but also has set a bad example for the nation's citizens, youths in particular.
No matter how vehement the protest, the government always keeps the door open for communication with the protesters, Jiang said. "Anyone who wishes to have an honest, calm discussion and exchange view points on the pros and cons of the service trade agreement or any other relevant issue may send representatives to the Executive Yuan," he promised.
Thus far, none of the groups protesting against the pact has explained which articles in it are deemed detrimental or how they can be revised, Jiang indicated. "Opponents seem to have instead chosen to refute the pact by simplifying it as a betrayal of Taiwan to mainland China or a decision of great damage to the country's future. Even if we eventually reject the pact, we have to at least talk first about the reasons for doing so, or what specific articles in it would hurt Taiwan's economic interests," Jiang said.
The premier stated that the government is absolutely willing to communicate, whether it is with any sector of society or with students and teachers. However, he hopes such talks can be carried out in a rational, peaceful and democratic manner, and that students would sit down with him for discussion and interaction rather than occupying constitutional and political organizations and then demanding fulfillment of certain conditions prior to concluding their sit-in and protest activities.
In order to safeguard the Bo-ai Special District and the areas in the vicinity of the Executive Yuan, police agencies have adopted certain traffic control measures which caused many commuters to take time-consuming detours on the way to work this morning, the premier noted. He expressed his regrets for this inconvenience and hopes these restrictions will be removed as soon as the situation is stabilized.
The premier also expressed thanks to the Taipei City Government for its help, saying that the combined efforts of local and national security agencies have demonstrated to all citizens that the government has the determination and capability to protect public authority. "If any similar challenges occur in the future, the government will hold firm nevertheless and take the most appropriate course of action to carry on the business of the nation."
According to a police statement, as of 10 a.m. today 61 people had been arrested after invading the Executive Yuan's main building, damaging public property and attempting to break into the premier's office. Of these, 35 are still being questioned while 26 had been released following preliminary registration of personal information.
More than 2,000 people were forcibly evacuated from the area outside the Executive Yuan. According to current estimates, 107 individuals were injured in the process, mostly students and police officers. The premier earlier ordered the Executive Yuan's political deputy secretary-general, the minister of the interior and the minister of education to visit the injured on behalf of the Executive Yuan and their respective agencies.