Dwi Riyanto Agustiar, Jakarta – Thousands of workers protested at the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, demanding that the government annul the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), which they said would impact badly on workers.

"Reject the ACFTA. A deluge of Chinese products will flood Indonesia, threatening local products, industries will be destroyed and dismissals will occur," said one of the speakers standing on a trick in front of the DPR on Thursday January 28.

The workers, who came from the National Workers Union (SPN) and the Indonesian Automotive Trade Union (SPOI), said they were concerned that the flood of Chinese products will weaken domestic industries and flow on to mass dismissals.

[Abridged translation by James Balowski.]