What is the sunflower movement?

The protests started on March 19, with the occupation of Taiwan's Parliament. The protests were against a services trade agreement with Beijing.  The protesters perceived the trade pact with the People's Republic of China would hurt Taiwan's economy and leave it vulnerable to political pressure from Beijing.

Since 9 months, negotiations have stalled, so the President of the Parliament decided to move directly to a vote, as law permits it. Three opposition members began a hunger strike, supported by hundreds of people who now occupy the parliament (as I told it before).

In the country, the text is highly controversial. It plans to open 64 sectors to Chinese companies. In exchange, Taiwanese investors may be implanted in 80 Chinese sectors. At the heart of the Taiwanese economy, the market for services weighs nearly 70% of its GDP. 

Protesters fear that chinese companies will be competing with local PME, which is more than 98% of the economic fabric of the island.

But what especially many Taiwanese fear is to be integrated into the Communist fold term, and become an autonomous region under the control of Beijing, as is already the case for Hong Kong and Macao.

Sunday March 30, thousands of taiwanese paraded through the streets of Taipei to persuade President Ma Ying-jeou to withdraw its controversial trade agreement with China, after nearly two weeks of occupation of parliament.

The demonstrators carried banners pledging to "defend democracy" and "Remove trade pact on services." They walked through the streets leading to the Presidency, under the eye of some 3,500 police officers.

ESDES-YUAN ZE.