Taiwanese has bigger balls than Hongkies, they occupy parliament!

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Taiwan students occupy parliament for third day in rage against China trade deal

Wang Jin-pyng urges police and students to avoid further violence after hundreds seize parliament in protest over KMT's cross-strait trade push

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 20 March, 2014, 3:47am
UPDATED : Thursday, 20 March, 2014, 2:37pm

Lawrence Chung in Taipei [email protected]



Student protesters next to an anti-China banner listen to a speech inside parliament on Thursday, which they have occupied to protest a trade deal with the mainland. Photo: AFP

As the protest entered its third day, Taiwanese legislative speaker Wang Jin-pyng has called for a peaceful resolution of a student occupation of the island's parliament, triggered by the ruling party's handling of a trade deal with the mainland.

Police tried three times to remove about 200 demonstrators who have barred the main chamber's exits with chairs and other furniture after they burst in on Tuesday evening.



Students on block an entrance to Taiwan's parliament with sofas and chairs on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Four protesters were arrested and 38 officers injured as authorities' sought to regain control.

"The confrontation must be resolved in a peaceful manner and the protesters not be harmed," Wang said yesterday.

Police said about 2,250 people had gathered outside the legislature in a show of solidarity with the students by last night, Central News Agency reported.



Hundreds of students and professors hold a sit-in outside parliament on Thursday as police guard the perimeter. Photo: AFP

Shouting "Police back off," and "No selling out Taiwan to China", the students are protesting over the Kuomintang's push for a controversial cross-strait service trade pact.

The deal was signed in June last year as a follow-up to the Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement inked in 2010 by Taiwan and the mainland to open up each other's markets.

On Monday, KMT legislators cut short a bipartisan discussion of the deal. They are seeking to put it to a floor review, and ultimately a vote in the Legislative Yuan, where they enjoy a majority, before the term ends in July.

Video: Taiwan students protest China trade pact in parliament