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The top story from this past week involved former gang leader Chang An-lo – known as the “White Wolf” – who organized a counter-rally outside the legislature earlier in the week. About 500 protesters came out in opposition of the students who have occupied Taiwan’s legislature since March 18.
During the counter-rally, Chang, who now heads a political party that advocates unification with China, demanded that the students leave the legislature. Minor scuffles broke out as the pro-China crowd tried to force its way through a police cordon and into the legislature.
The Cabinet responded on Wednesday by saying that gang interference against the ongoing student movement will not be tolerated.
Cabinet spokesman Sun Lih-chyun said that people have the freedom to voice their opinions, but this must be done within legal limits. He also said that the government will not sit idly by.
2)
Also this past week, the Cabinet approved a draft bill aimed at strengthening the oversight of future agreements with China.
The draft legislation was passed on Thursday in response to criticism of a lack of transparency surrounding a controversial trade in services pact. The dispute over how to review the trade in services agreement with China led to the ongoing student occupation of the legislature.
The draft bill, passed on Thursday, was proposed by the Mainland Affairs Council, which is Taiwan’s top China-policy maker. According to the draft law, the government must communicate with the legislature before and during negotiations for an agreement with China, as well as before and after signing such an agreement. Also, when negotiations have advanced to a certain degree, the contents of the proposed agreement must be subject to a national security review.
Another important provision in the draft law is that legislative committees must complete the review of agreements within three months. If the committees fail to do so, the agreements will be seen as having been reviewed. If agreements fail to pass legislative reviews, the government may reopen negotiations with China.
3)
And finally this past week, the 8th round of talks between Taiwan and the United States under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) started in Washington on Friday.
The economics ministry said that during this round of trade talks, Taiwan will raise issues related to its bid for a role in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade bloc. The agenda also includes the export of guavas, orchids in potting soil, and heat-processed meat products to the US.
The ministry said the US is likely to press Taiwan to open its doors to US pork containing the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine. But Taiwan will convey its concerns over food safety.