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Taiwan students storm government headquarters Taiwan students storm government headquarters
(about 9 hours later)
Hundreds of students have stormed the Taiwanese government's headquarters in protest at a deal that will bring closer trade ties with China. Taiwanese police have clashed with hundreds of students who had occupied government headquarters to protest at a proposed trade deal with China.
They used a vehicle to knock down barbed wire gates outside the Executive Yuan in central Taipei. Police used water cannon and dragged out students one-by-one, clearing the building by dawn on Monday.
Another group of students has occupied the parliament chamber since Tuesday. The students had used a vehicle to knock down barbed wire gates outside the offices in central Taipei.
The protesters fear that the agreement would make Taiwan susceptible to pressure from China, which believes that Taiwan belongs to the mainland. The students say the government is jeopardising Taiwan's independence by pursuing closer ties with China.
The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says some students staged a sit-in once inside the gates but others tried to push their way into the actual building. The governing Kuomintang party says it is determined to ratify the deal with Beijing, which it says will boost the economy and create jobs.
Police guarding the government offices were outnumbered and have called for reinforcements, our correspondent says. China formally regards Taiwan as a part of its territory, despite the island governing itself for six decades.
The mayor of Taipei has appealed for calm and instructed police to protect the building. Trading partners
Barricades hold Other protesting students have been occupying the parliament chamber since Tuesday.
On Friday thousands of people rallied in Taiwan to support the students who had been occupying parliament, which is also in central Taipei. On Friday thousands of people rallied to support those students who had been occupying parliament.
Police tried to dislodge the students on Wednesday but failed to breach barricades made using furniture.Police tried to dislodge the students on Wednesday but failed to breach barricades made using furniture.
The ruling Kuomintang party says it is determined to ratify the deal with China, which it says will boost the economy and create jobs.
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party has backed the protests.The opposition Democratic Progressive Party has backed the protests.
China is Taiwan's biggest trading partner and in recent years ties between the two have improved.China is Taiwan's biggest trading partner and in recent years ties between the two have improved.
The two sides split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, and China regards Taiwan as part of its territory. The two sides split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.
This year however the two held their first direct talks. Earlier this year, the two countries held their first direct talks.