DHAKA: Tens of thousands of Taiwanese protesters took to the streets in Taipei on Sunday in a bid to pressure embattled president Ma Ying-jeou to retract a controversial trade pact with China.

The protesters, many wearing black shirts and headbands reading ‘defend democracy, retract service trade pact’, crowded the streets leading to the presidential office, despite fresh concessions offered by Ma to further scrutinise agreements with China.

‘The people cannot accept the government’s reckless decision to sign the service trade pact with China. The government doesn’t listen to the people who demand the pact be retracted,’ said protester Ko Hsuan-yu, a 25-year-old graduate student, reports The Straits Times.

Security was tight as 3,500 police were deployed in the official presidential neighbourhood.

BDST: 1639 HRS, MAR 30, 2014