Taiwan's discontent runs deeper than cross-strait trade pact

This semester, Reggie Wang, a senior at Soochow University in Taipei, has been studying Taiwan's fast-thawing relations with the island's old foe, the mainland.

Outside of class, the 23-year-old was watching for any backroom deals between Taipei and Beijing. He was one of several thousand students drawn to a nearly month-long protest this spring at Taiwan's parliament.

"I'm here to oppose economic regulations with political intent, and affairs taking place in a black box," he said. Above his tent flew a banner calling President Ma Ying-jeou a "bumbler".

Wang joined a wide range of Taiwanese youth furious that their government had prepared to ratify a service-trade pact with China that they feared would eliminate jobs and imperil small businesses. Officials said that more jobs would be created than lost.

"If the service trade deal passes, a portion of people will face a lot of investment coming in here from mainland China, and that's a big hit to small or medium-sized enterprises," Wang said.

The trade pact - billed as a way to stimulate the economy - sparked huge protests. But many people also joined in because of a wider dissatisfaction with Ma's administration.

Last year, Taiwanese protested after an army conscript died taking part in strenuous drills in the searing heat.