Taiwan students to end legislature occupation
Print Edition
HUNDREDS of students occupying Taiwan’s legislature for nearly three weeks in protest over a trade pact with China’s mainland have agreed to end their sit-in, their leader said yesterday.
The decision came after the speaker of Taiwan’s legislative body promised on Sunday that the island’s lawmakers would approve a “review mechanism” of trade agreements with the mainland before the current pact is passed, a key demand of the protesters.
China’s mainland and Taiwan have been ruled separately since the Kuomintang forces, defeated by the Communists, fled to the island at the end of the civil war in 1949.
In recent years, the two sides have built up extensive economic ties, and in February they held their first direct talks and agreed to set up representative offices as soon as possible.
Protest leader Chen Wei-ting told reporters the students would leave the legislative building at 6pm on Thursday in order to accommodate legislative meetings on Friday.
“It’s time for us to return this movement to broader Taiwan society, where we will continue the struggle,” Chen said.
The largely student-led protest briefly turned violent more than two weeks ago after hundreds stormed the headquarters of the island’s executive branch.
The trade services pact would open 64 of Taiwan’s service sectors to the mainland and 80 mainland sectors to Taiwan.
The government says it is a necessary step for Taiwan’s economy as it attempts to forge trade deals with more economies. Taiwan’s leader Ma Ying-jeou says the pact will create 12,000 jobs.
But the opposition derides the pact as a “threat” to the island’s industry and fears it could open the door to mainland influence on Taiwan politics.
Ma said in a statement that he supported the students’ decision to leave the legislature and allow the government to resume its normal functions.
The fracas began in late March after the trade services pact passed a legislative hurdle via what protesters claim were “undemocratic means.”
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