(28 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Taipei, Taiwan – 28 May 2024
1. Various protesters gathering outside the parliament in Taipei
2. Protesters walking past the front parliament entrance
3. Close-up sign in Chinese reading Legislative Yuan (parliament)
4. Various police standing guard outside parliament
5. Protester holding a LED poster in English reading “Keep Taiwan free”
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sean Su, Taipei resident:
" I believe that legislative reform is good but within limits. I do not believe that the legislative Yuan (Parliament) should do the duties of the investigative Yuan (Investigation Bureau). Basically, it’s OK to have a legislature inquire more or do checks and balances but within reason. I do not believe the legislature should decide what is true or not by simple vote."
8. People marching before parliament
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Sean Su, Taipei resident
"Does this (passed bills) favor China? Yeah, of course, China loves when there’s disruptions in democracy. But I will say everybody here is a peaceful protester, there’s been no mob, there is nothing like that. There is a safety station, all of that, and that’s something China doesn’t want people to see."
10. Pan people marching on the street before parliament
11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Ray Wan, Kaohsiung resident:
"There was no discussion on the legislation this time and these bills are rough. Without detailed discussions, these incomplete bills will do Taiwan a great disservice."
12. Protesters gathering before parliament
13. Protesters walking past parliament back entrance
14. Police standing guard at the entrance
STORYLINE:
Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature passed changes on Tuesday that are seen as favoring China and diminishing the power of the island’s president, sparking protests by thousands of people.
The changes pushed by the opposition Nationalist Party and its allies would give the legislature greater power to control budgets, including defense spending that the party has blocked in what many see as a concession to China.
It remains unclear whether the package of bills will become law.
The Executive Yuan, the executive branch of government headed by the premier, may veto legislation or pass it on to the president, who has to proclaim bills into law within 10 days.
If the Executive Yuan or the president does not comply, the bills will not become law.
Thousands of people gathered outside the legislature to protest the changes.
The legislative chamber was festooned with banners promoting both sides in the dispute, while arguments on the floor broke into shouting and pushing matches.
The Nationalists, also known as the KMT, officially back unification with China, from which Taiwan separated during a civil war in 1949.
They took control of the legislature with a single-seat majority after elections in January, while the presidency went to Lai Ching-te of the Democratic Progressive Party, which favors Taiwan’s de facto independence from China.
DPP legislators accused deputies from the KMT and the minority Taiwan People’s Party of undermining Taiwan’s democracy by expanding the legislature’s oversight of the executive branch.
They denounced the legislation as creating a “black box” for what the KMT has portrayed as reforms.
AP Video shot by Johnson Lai
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