Above: Students and protestors occupy the Taiwanese Parliament to protest against the act by the ruling Kuomintang party to ratify a controversial service and trade agreement with China on March 19, 2014 in Taipei, Taiwan. Over 200 students broke into the Taiwan Parliament and took over the main chamber in protest against the service and trade aggreement. (March 18, 2014 – Source: Ashley Pon/Getty Images AsiaPac)
They call themselves the Sunflower Revolution.
On March 18, thousands of Taiwanese students occupied Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan. A few days later, hundreds more took the Executive Yuan, before police violently evicted them, even going so far as using water cannons.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou has pushed forward a trade deal with China called the Trade in Services Agreement that many in Taiwan feel will give the Chinese Communist Party control over the island, eroding away their hard won democracy, freedoms, and human rights. But Ma sees it as vital to maintain Taiwan’s competitive edge in the international market and if they go back on the agreement, it will damage their credibility as a trading partner.
But with the CCP gradually encroaching on Hong Kong using similar economic soft power, will Taiwan be next? Find out on this episode of China Uncensored.
Here’s a livestream of what is currently happening with the occupation of the Taiwanese legislature