The Cabinet is set to hold a live web chat on the first anniversary of the Sunflower Movement, which began on March 18th last year.
The movement was sparked by the ruling party’s attempt to push forward legislation on a controversial trade agreement with China. Hundreds of students stormed the legislature overnight and would end up occupying the building for nearly three weeks.
The live webcast on Wednesday will feature the Mainland Affairs Council Minister Andrew Hsia, who is Taiwan’s top China policymaker. The program will cover cross-strait trade, and Hsia will field questions from internet users.
The Cabinet said that last year’s protests had brought the topic of cross-strait trade to the fore. It said it hoped that following a year of reflection, it was possible for a peaceful and rational discussion of the issues at hand.
Last year’s occupation drew to a close on April 10 after Legislature President Wang Jin-pyng visited the students. Wang promised to postpone negotiations on the controversial trade pact until a law was passed that would allow for public oversight of future pacts with China.
In Wednesday’s web chat, Minister Hsia will also outline the Cabinet’s version of a possible new oversight law.