Student protesters in Taiwan threaten to take 'further action'

Student protesters occupied the assembly hall of Taiwan's legislative body for a third day on Thursday, threatening to take "further action" if the authorities didn't respond to their demand for a "proper review" of a cross-Straits service trade agreement by Friday.

A student from Chengchi University told the Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday that they demanded that the agreement be reviewed clause-by-clause before being sent to the legislative floor and that more information be made public.

Hundreds of students stormed through security barriers on Tuesday evening accusing the Kuomintang of cutting short the review of the agreement. They then occupied the assembly hall and physical disputes broke out between police and students.

Students have been delivering speeches and shouting slogans since Tuesday. More than 1,000 students and members of the public also rallied outside the compound in a stand-off with police.

Other members of the public called for restraint.

A middle-aged man urged a group of students outside the building to be rational and not to disrupt legislative proceedings.

Wang Jin-pyng, head of the legislative body, called for calm, so the legislative body could resume its work on the agreement.

The Kuomintang central committee issued a statement calling for the rational expression of opinions, while accusing the opposition Democratic Progressive Party of inciting the public.

Taiwan's industry sectors voiced support for the agreement, which was signed in June 2013 but awaits ratification.