27 Jun 2010

China trade protest in Taiwan

6:01 am on 27 June 2010

A big protest has taken place in Taiwan against the signing of a trade pact with China. Police said around 32,000 people took part.

Under the agreement, known as ECFA, China is cutting tariffs on 539 products from Taiwan. Only 267 Chinese products would benefit from reduced tariffs on the Taiwanese side.

The agreeement is to be signed on Tuesday.

Taiwan and China split after the civil war in 1949 but Beijing still regards the island as a renegade province.

The opposition fears that Taiwanese markets could be flooded with cheap Chinese goods.