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Taiwan's government yesterday appeared to soften its stance towards demonstrators occupying the government's parliament building by agreeing to hold talks with protest leaders.
The move came after police forcibly removed some 2,000 demonstrators who had stormed a nearby government headquarters building in Taipei.
"I am willing to have talks with representatives from the protest group and exchange views with them, as long as they don't set any preconditions," Premier Dr Jiang Yi-huah said.
Watch: Taiwan riot police dislodge protesters to retake government HQ

The demonstrators are angry about a trade pact with the mainland which they believe will cause job losses in Taiwan.
Jiang said the government had never ruled out debates with any opposition groups, including the leaders of the opposition parties, as it would "expose the pros and cons of the pact and improve communications between political parties and different social sectors". He said this would help ease public misgivings and resolve the stand-off.
He said he was even open to discussing the 24 articles of the trade pact with the students. He said he wanted to ask them why they insisted on stopping the review of the pact, when originally the students only demanded that it be reviewed item by item.
The protesters who stormed the government offices broke through barbed wire to get to the Executive Yuan complex.
While most rallied in the compound's courtyard, about 100 used ladders to get into the main building where Jiang works.
Some demonstrators were seen on television looting and vandalising government offices.
Jiang said this had forced him to deploy the police to remove the demonstrators, as any occupation of the Executive Yuan would seriously disrupt the operation of the government.
"There is no way we can allow the country's top administrative body to be usurped or occupied."
More than 137 people were injured and 61 students arrested after riot police armed with batons and water cannon broke up the demonstrators in the early hours of yesterday.
Students, some bleeding and bruised, pledged to continue their protest over the governing party's decision to renege on a promised line-by-line review in parliament of the trade deal.
"How could they treat us like rioters? We are just plain students," said weeping student Huang Pei-feng.
"This won't stop us. We will continue our protest until [President] Ma Ying-jeou scraps the trade service pact," said another student, Alex Chen, after he was dragged to the ground by police.
Protesters first occupied the parliament building in Taipei last Tuesday. Members of the Black Island Nation Youth Front, the main organiser of the occupation, said storming the offices was the idea of a small group.
The leader of the students occupying the legislature, Lin Fei-fan, said yesterday that they disagreed with the action, but shared the same goal.
"We will continue to use a peaceful approach to attain our aim," Lin said.
He called for workers to strike and students to boycott classes. More than 1,400 students from 28 student unions across Taiwan have boycotted classes.
There are so far no reports of plans for industrial stoppages.


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Focus

Taiwan Premier Jiang Yi-huah 'willing to talk' about trade pact with student protesters 

Premier Jiang Yi-huah.

Demonstrators and police confront each other in front of the cabinet building in Taipei. Photo: Reuters

Anti-trade pact stand-off will damage Taiwan's relations with mainland China, analysts warn

Police stand guard outside government offices in Taipei close to the legislature where hundreds of demonstrators have staged a sit-in for over a week. Photo: AFP

Protesters scuffle with police officers outside the Executive Yuan during a demonstration in Taipei on March 24. Photo: AFP

Occupation of Taiwan's cabinet office was work of protest hawks

Protesters clash with police in Taipei yesterday. Photo: AFP

All Taiwan must pull together to improve its people's lives

Police officers remove student protesters from the ground at the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Photo: AFP 

Economists blame Taiwan protests on fears of Beijing 'annexation'

Riot police detain a protester near the Cabinet compound in Taipei after an attempt by protesters to seize the government headquarters. Photo: EPA

A young man taunts riot police as they disperse protesters from the Cabinet compound in Taipei, Taiwan. Photo: EPA

Police use a water cannon to disperse a demonstrator during a protest against a trade pact with mainland China. Photo: Reuters

More than 150 injured as police evict student protesters from Taiwan parliament

Student protesters battle with riot police outside the Executive Yuan last night. At least 20 were detained. Photo: CNA

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou

Student protesters occupy the Executive Yuan in Taipei. Photo: AFP

Taiwanese student protesters against a trade pact with Beijing try to intimidate police after storming the government Cabinet buildings in Taipei. Photo: AP

Taiwanese student demonstrators are removed by police after storming the government cabinet offices in Taipei. Photo: AP

A student guards the entrance of the Executive Yuan during a demonstration in Taipei. Photo: AFP

Protesters scuffle with police officers outside the Executive Yuan during a demonstration in Taipei. Photo: AFP

Taiwanese protesters are forced by riot police to leave the government cabinet buildings in Taipei. Photo: AP

Taiwan's riot police clash with demonstrators as they try to clear the government cabinet buildings in Taipei. Photo: AP

Taiwanese students protesting against a China Taiwan trade pact are sprayed with a water cannon while storming the government Cabinet offices. Photo: AP

A protester refuses to leave the street despite being hit by police water cannon near the Cabinet compound in Taipei, 24 March 2014. Photo: EPA

Riot police use water cannon to disperse protesters near the Cabinet compound in Taipei. Photo: EPA

News

China

Jiang Yi-huah tries to make peace after police clash with students who stormed government office in Taipei over cross-strait trade deal


Taiwan's government yesterday appeared to soften its stance towards demonstrators occupying the government's parliament building by agreeing to hold talks with protest leaders.


Taiwan Premier Jiang Yi-huah 'willing to talk' about trade pact with student protesters

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Jiang Yi-huah tries to make peace after police clash with students who stormed government office in Taipei over cross-strait trade deal

Jiang Yi-huah tries to make peace after police clash with students who stormed government office in Taipei over cross-strait trade deal