Students occupying Taiwan’s parliament for the past week to denounce a trade deal with China have agreed to meet the island’s president to try to resolve the standoff.<br /><br />Hundreds of demonstrators are challenging the agreement which would open 64 Taiwanese sectors to China and 80 of China’s service sectors to Taiwan.<br /><br />Opponents say it could hurt small Taiwanese firms and would allow Beijing to expand its influence over the territory which China still sees as a renegade province.<br /><br />On the streets, protesters have clashed with riot police.<br /><br />Dozens of people were reported injured amid multiple arrests as security forces used water cannon to remove demonstrators from government headquarters, which they had also invaded.<br /><br />Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since the Communists took power on the mainland in 1949.<br /><br />But relations have warmed considerably under the presidency of Ma Ying-jeou who has said the trade deal with China is essential for Taiwan’s economic future.
