Scuffles erupt between rival Taiwan protesters near legislative building
Police forced to step in as opponents and supporters of trade deal clash in Taipei
Tensions flared between rival demonstrators near Taiwan's legislative building yesterday, as some 2,000 Taiwanese backers of a contentious Beijing-Taipei trade pact demanded that anti-trade-deal students occupying parliament leave.
The ongoing student protest, which has lasted more than two weeks, has also prompted "worry" from the mainland's top Taiwan affairs official.
Watch: Pro-China trade rally hits streets of Taiwan
Speaking to Taiwan's Central News Agency, National Chengchi University scholar Tung Chen-yuan said last night he had just talked to Zhang Zhijun , who heads the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office.
Tung said Zhang asked how a massive student movement could happen in Taiwan given the island's is well-established democracy. The report said Zhang expressed worry over the student movement's impact on Taiwan's development.