Taiwan's parliament passes contested reforms as thousands stage protest

Record ID: 1820515

  • Title: Taiwan's parliament passes contested reforms as thousands stage protest
  • Date: 28th May 2024
  • Summary: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (MAY 28, 2024) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF LAWMAKERS SCUFFLING IN PARLIAMENT KUOMINTANG (KMT) LAWMAKERS CASTING VOTES BY RAISING THEIR HANDS, DPP (DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE PARTY) LAWMAKERS BOOING DPP LAWMAKERS BOOING AND GIVING "THUMBS DOWN" KMT LAWMAKERS RAISING THEIR HANDS DPP LAWMAKERS GIVING THUMBS DOWN, KMT LAWMAKERS RAI
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2024 12:26
  • Keywords: China Taiwan parliament protest reform
  • Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Country: Taiwan
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Lawmaking,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001608628052024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Taiwan's parliament on Tuesday (May 28) passed a reform package to increase oversight of the government pushed by the opposition but opposed by the ruling party, which did not have the numbers to block it.
    The parliament reforms give lawmakers the power to ask the military, private companies or individuals to disclose information deemed relevant by parliamentarians. They also criminalise contempt of parliament by government officials, and require the president to give regular reports to parliament and answer lawmakers' questions, which would be a first for Taiwan.
    Outside parliament, protesters showed their anger at the reforms being passed, shouting "refuse Chinese political interference," among other slogans. The protests have been taking place against a backdrop of broader concern about efforts by China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, to influence the island's politics.
    The Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Lai Ching-te won the presidency in January elections, but the party lost its majority in parliament. Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), along with the small Taiwan People's Party, together have the most seats.
    The DPP says the reforms were forced through without proper consultation and their content either vague or an over-reach of power, and on Tuesday its lawmakers threw garbage bags and paper planes at their opposition counterparts. The KMT has denounced the DPP for trying to "paint them red," the colour of China's Communist Party, and says the DPP is trying to stymie efforts to investigate corruption cases and sow unfounded fears about the reforms.
    (Production: Fabian Hamacher, Angie Teo)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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