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| Taiwan protesters to end occupation of legislature | Taiwan protesters to end occupation of legislature |
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| Demonstrators protesting against a free trade pact in Taiwan have announced plans to end a weeks-long occupation of the island's legislature on Thursday, after a high-ranking official promised to meet some of their demands. | Demonstrators protesting against a free trade pact in Taiwan have announced plans to end a weeks-long occupation of the island's legislature on Thursday, after a high-ranking official promised to meet some of their demands. |
| Thousands of students stormed Taiwan's parliament on 18 March after the ruling Nationalist party unilaterally passed the cross-strait service trade agreement, a pact with China that critics say could harm the territory's small businesses and erode its political autonomy. | Thousands of students stormed Taiwan's parliament on 18 March after the ruling Nationalist party unilaterally passed the cross-strait service trade agreement, a pact with China that critics say could harm the territory's small businesses and erode its political autonomy. |
| The protesters first demanded that the party review the pact line by line, then later that it rescind the pact and establish a public oversight mechanism for future cross-strait trade agreements. | The protesters first demanded that the party review the pact line by line, then later that it rescind the pact and establish a public oversight mechanism for future cross-strait trade agreements. |
| The occupation fanned out into a larger movement on 30 March. According to police, 116,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the legislature while protest organisers estimated the turnout at between 350,000 and 500,000. | The occupation fanned out into a larger movement on 30 March. According to police, 116,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the legislature while protest organisers estimated the turnout at between 350,000 and 500,000. |
| The protesters, who call themselves the Sunflower Movement, have remained largely peaceful and well-organised, despite brief clashes with riot police late last month. | The protesters, who call themselves the Sunflower Movement, have remained largely peaceful and well-organised, despite brief clashes with riot police late last month. |
| The parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng promised on Sunday that the party would not review the trade pact until it had developed a mechanism for public oversight. On Monday, protest leaders announced plans to leave. | The parliament speaker Wang Jin-pyng promised on Sunday that the party would not review the trade pact until it had developed a mechanism for public oversight. On Monday, protest leaders announced plans to leave. |
| "Oversight legislation for the agreement still hasn't been finalised, so it's hard to say whether we'll be satisfied or not," said Li Yue, a 20-year-old protester from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University. "But looking at things right now, it doesn't seem like staying in the legislature will do much." | "Oversight legislation for the agreement still hasn't been finalised, so it's hard to say whether we'll be satisfied or not," said Li Yue, a 20-year-old protester from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University. "But looking at things right now, it doesn't seem like staying in the legislature will do much." |
| On Monday, the territory's president, Ma Ying-jeou, praised the protesters' decision to disperse. Last week, he stood by the pact, arguing it would encourage more regional trade deals, and he said the protesters' concerns were unfounded. Ma's approval rating has been in the single digits since September. | On Monday, the territory's president, Ma Ying-jeou, praised the protesters' decision to disperse. Last week, he stood by the pact, arguing it would encourage more regional trade deals, and he said the protesters' concerns were unfounded. Ma's approval rating has been in the single digits since September. |
| Although Taiwan-China ties have warmed in recent years, the trade pact – which would allow China to invest in 64 of Taiwan's service sectors, including advertising, telecommunications and media – has proved hugely controversial. Critics say it would allow China to tighten its grip on Taiwan via investment and mass immigration. Supporters believe it would give the territory a much-needed economic boost. | Although Taiwan-China ties have warmed in recent years, the trade pact – which would allow China to invest in 64 of Taiwan's service sectors, including advertising, telecommunications and media – has proved hugely controversial. Critics say it would allow China to tighten its grip on Taiwan via investment and mass immigration. Supporters believe it would give the territory a much-needed economic boost. |
| According to an official poll released last week, 41% of 1,000 respondents supported the pact, while 40% opposed it. | According to an official poll released last week, 41% of 1,000 respondents supported the pact, while 40% opposed it. |
| Ian Rowen, a Taiwan-based Fulbright scholar who has been intermittently living with the protesters, said: "Complicating all of this is an election in [autumn] – mayoral races and legislative races – and of course two years later, presidential elections. Whether [the students] remain a social force or get involved in electoral politics remains to be seen. They're very popular at the moment." | Ian Rowen, a Taiwan-based Fulbright scholar who has been intermittently living with the protesters, said: "Complicating all of this is an election in [autumn] – mayoral races and legislative races – and of course two years later, presidential elections. Whether [the students] remain a social force or get involved in electoral politics remains to be seen. They're very popular at the moment." |
| • This article was amended on 10 April 2014 to add both a police estimate of the number of demonstrators on 30 March and an estimate made by protest organisers. The earlier version said "more than 100,000 demonstrators filled the streets around the legislature". |