Calls for restraint after Taiwan students protest
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E-mail Xinhua, March 19, 2014
Hundreds of students continued a protest on Wednesday after they stormed into the assembly hall of Taiwan's legislative body on Tuesday evening to demand a "proper review" of a cross-Strait agreement.
Physical disputes had broken out between police and students, who gathered at the legislative building in Taipei accusing the Kuomintang of cutting short the review of the cross-Strait service trade agreement.
On Wednesday, students were seen sitting on the podium of the assembly hall, delivering speeches and shouting slogans. Over a thousand students and members of the public also rallied outside the compound in a stand-off with police.
A student from Chengchi University told Xinhua reporters they demanded the agreement be reviewed clause-by-clause before being sent to the legislative floor and that more information be made public.
Other members of the public called for restraint.
A middle-aged man urged a group of students outside the building to be rational and not disrupt legislative proceedings.
Wang Jin-pyng, head of the legislative body, called for calmness, so the legislative body could resume its work on the agreement.
The Kuomintang central committee issued a statement calling for the rational expression of opinions, while accusing the opposition Democratic Progressive Party of inciting the public.
Taiwan's industry sectors have voiced support for the agreement, which was signed in June but awaiting ratification by the island's legislature. Enditem
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