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Taiwan Democracy in Crisis: Parliament Shoves China Trade Deal Down People’s Throat.

Legitimacy procedure and democracy of Taiwan has been severely ravaged by the ruling party of Taiwanese congress. The Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement was barbarically and illegally passed by the Parliament without transparency.

On March 17, Taiwan's legislature, one-sidedly forced the Service Trades Agreement with China through the legislative floor. Legislators of the ruling party, under pressure from President and the Premier, declared automatic ratification of the agreement without screening. The ruling party's measures enraged Taiwanese citizens, among which 75% favored a clause-by-clause review, worrying that the agreement could submit Taiwan to Beijing’s economic control.

More than 20,000 students and concerned citizens have occupied around the Parliament legislative building since March 18, demanding the agreement be scrapped as well as an apology from President and the Premier. We, Taiwanese students in Pennsylvania, share the concerns of Taiwanese protestors. We reprimand the ruling party’s unconstitutional reneging on the promised clause-by-clause review.

We demand three points on the part of the Taiwanese authorities:

1. Honor the demonstrators’ requests, which include jettison of the Agreement;

2. Draw up legislation for the regulation of any future cross-strait negotiations.

3. Refrain from forcefully evicting demonstrators

Please sign the petition if you support democracy in Taiwan!

Report from CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/19/world/asia/taiwan-student-protests/index.html?iref=allsearch

Report from The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/china-pact-opponents-occupy-taiwan-legislature/2014/03/18/3f049e50-af02-11e3-b8b3-44b1d1cd4c1f_story.html