Legislative speaker to meet with lawmakers over trade pact row

Taipei, March 24 (CNA) Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng was set to meet with leaders of the ruling and opposition caucuses at his residence at 3 p.m. Monday in hope of finding a solution to the ongoing deadlock over a trade-in-services agreement with China.

The trade pact was signed by Taiwan and China last June but has been stalled in the Legislature, due mainly to obstruction from the Democratic Progressive Party-led opposition.

A recent move by the ruling Kuomintang to push the pact through the legislative process has triggered strong protests from the pact's opponents, and a group of student-led protesters have occupied the Legislature's main chamber after breaking into the building March 18.

(By Y.F. Low; click here for an update of the story.)ENDITEM/J

Related stories:●March 24: Lawmakers demand renegotiation of pact with China (update)●March 23: Trade pact with China still under committee screening: speaker●March 22: Premier rejects protesters' demand for withdrawal of pact (update)●March 22: DPP schedules review of China trade pact; KMT vows boycott

(Click here for the latest on the ongoing protest and developments since the Legislature occupation starting March 18.)