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Taiwan crowd besieges China envoy | Taiwan crowd besieges China envoy |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Demonstrators have dispersed after surrounding a hotel in the Taiwanese capital to protest against a visit by a top-ranking Chinese negotiator. | Demonstrators have dispersed after surrounding a hotel in the Taiwanese capital to protest against a visit by a top-ranking Chinese negotiator. |
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the hotel in Taipei where Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin was attending a dinner. | Hundreds of protesters gathered at the hotel in Taipei where Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin was attending a dinner. |
Mr Chen is reported to have left the hotel after a six-hour stand-off between demonstrators and police. | Mr Chen is reported to have left the hotel after a six-hour stand-off between demonstrators and police. |
The demonstrators are opposed to President Ma Ying-jeou's policy of forging closer ties with China. | The demonstrators are opposed to President Ma Ying-jeou's policy of forging closer ties with China. |
'Chinese bandit' | 'Chinese bandit' |
The BBC's Cindy Sui, who is at the scene, says vehicles with tinted windows leaving the hotel were spat and yelled at. | The BBC's Cindy Sui, who is at the scene, says vehicles with tinted windows leaving the hotel were spat and yelled at. |
Some shouted "Ma Ying-jeou step down", blaming the Taiwanese president for allowing the landmark talks during Mr Chen's visit. | Some shouted "Ma Ying-jeou step down", blaming the Taiwanese president for allowing the landmark talks during Mr Chen's visit. |
Lines of riot police prevented demonstrators from getting into the hotel. | Lines of riot police prevented demonstrators from getting into the hotel. |
Mr Chen is the most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan in decades. | Mr Chen is the most senior Chinese official to visit Taiwan in decades. |
The envoy is spending five days in Taiwan and has already signed agreements to improve direct trade and transport links between the two sides. | The envoy is spending five days in Taiwan and has already signed agreements to improve direct trade and transport links between the two sides. |
He is due to meet President Ma on Thursday. | He is due to meet President Ma on Thursday. |
Protests | |
Mass protests against President Ma's pro-China policies have been on going since August. | |
They have been led by the main opposition, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which while in government antagonised Beijing with a pro-independence agenda. | |
Recent relations soured when three Taiwanese babies died in China's tainted milk powder scandal and many more were taken ill. | |
China claims sovereignty over Taiwan though they have been separately governed since 1949. | China claims sovereignty over Taiwan though they have been separately governed since 1949. |