People protest TTP in New Zealand
Thousands of people in New Zealand have blocked roads in Auckland in protest at a controversial US-led free trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The demonstration came as ministers from 12 Pacific Rim countries gathered in Auckland Thursday to sign the pact.
Protesters marched through the city, later gathering outside the SkyCity Auckland center where the signing ceremony took place.
The anti-TPP activists raised banners reading "TPP is a bad dream. Wake up. Don't sign" and "No TPP."
The agreement has triggered global opposition in recent months. Protesters say TPP is anti-democratic and favors multinational corporations at the expense of domestic interests.
They also say the pact threatens healthcare by potentially increasing the prices of medical drugs, as well as threatening jobs, the environment and workers' rights.
In Auckland, protesters said the TPP would lead to job losses, stagnant wages, and an increase in inequality, among other negative consequences for workers.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key, however, lauded the pact. “Today is a significant day, not only for New Zealand but for the other 11 countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” he said.
The agreement was reached on October 5, 2015 after five years of negotiations. The pact seeks to establish common standards for the 12 countries, headed by the US.
Other signatories are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The ambitious deal, promising the elimination of nearly all tariffs among the 12 nations, aims to break down trade and investment barriers among them.
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