Taiwan protesters occupy parliament over China trade pact

Activists occupy the Taiwanese Parliament in Taipei early on March 19, 2014 to protest moves by the ruling Kuomintang party to ratify a contentious trade agreement with China. -AFP

TAIPEI: Around 200 Taiwanese students and activists were locked in a tense standoff with police Wednesday after they stormed the parliament in a bid to thwart government efforts to ratify a contentious trade agreement with China.

Tearing down signboards and chanting anti-government slogans, protesters unexpectedly broke through security barriers and took over the parliament's main chamber late Tuesday, in the first such occupation of the building in the island's history.