President Ma Ying-jeou says the government will not take back a trade in services agreement with China.
Ma made the comments in a press conference on Saturday. He was responding to student protestors who have been occupying the legislature.
During the conference, Ma expressed concerns that the standoff over the pact has led to social unrest. He also said that any protests must be within what is allowed by law.
In response to student demand that a law allowing close scrutiny of cross-strait agreements must be passed before the trade in services pact can be reviewed, Ma said he supports an item-by-item review. He said that the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan’s top China-policy maker, is expected to unveil scrutiny measures next week, and he also urged legislators to work to pass the law within the current legislative session.
Student protestors have called for a mass rally in front of the Presidential Office on Sunday. They took over the legislature on March 18, after a ruling Kuomintang lawmaker sent the controversial agreement straight to a vote on the legislative floor, bypassing legislative committee review.