The Cross Straits Oversight Bill And The Civil Society Version Of The Cross Straits Oversight Bill

One of the key demands which came out of the Sunflower Movement as a solution for the CSSTA quandary or any other free trade agreements that the KMT or another political party in Taiwan might try to sign with China was that a bill should be passed to allow legislature and civil society groups to have input on and oversight over future cross-strait bills. This was termed the Cross-Straits Oversight Bill (兩岸協議監督條例).

Again, pointing to the large role that lawyers play in contemporary Taiwanese social movements, the Legislative Yuan occupiers drafted their own version of the bill and presented it to the legislature, although the DPP and KMT drafted their own versions of the bill and sparred over them. DPP legislator Yu Mei-Nu (尤美女), a notable progressive within the DPP, was the legislator who submitted the civil society version of the Cross-Straits Oversight Bill to legislature on behalf of civil society. 

In allowing civil society groups to have direct oversight over government policy in this way and in civil society groups drafting their own legal proposals and presenting them to the legislature, perhaps we can see this as part of the aspirations of the movement towards “radical democracy” or even some form of direct democracy. Of course, it is not too surprising that legislators would balk at these proposals, with the view that this allows civil society groups too much say in legislative processes, never mind that they are supposed to answer to the society which elected them.

Wang Jinpyng (王金平) eventually agreeing to pass the Cross-Straits oversight bill, breaking ranks with Ma Ying-Jeou (馬英九), was ultimately what provided the justification for the withdrawal from the Legislative Yuan at the end of the movement. Wang seems to have indicated this to student occupiers beforehand. 

Read More About Efforts Of The Sunflower Movement At Radical Democracy:

• What is “radical democracy” and how did the Sunflower Movement aim towards this?

• What were the People’s Assemblies during the Sunflower Movement?

• Read the report on the People’s Assemblies held during the Sunflower Movement

• What was the campaign to hold direct referendums in Taiwan?

• What was the campaign to recall KMT legislators?

• What was the influence on the Sunflower Movement from the Occupy Wall Street Movement?

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