Taiwan DPP to contest mainland trade pact

Taiwan’s pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Monday it will launch a referendum in order to halt the passage of the new trade pact with the mainland, the AFP reported. “The DPP will get the endorsement of one million people in order to push for a referendum against the ECFA [Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement],” DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said in a speech to thousands of DPP supporters conducting an overnight sit-in protest in front of the presidential office. Tsai said the referendum would be the best way to oppose the current Kuomintang government’s pro-mainland stance, which it claims will damage Taiwan politically and economically. The protest started on Sunday evening and was scheduled to finish on Monday evening, but some supporters had threatened to extend the protest through Wednesday, the first anniversary of President Ma Ying-jeou’s assumption of office.