Hundreds of Taiwanese students and civic groups occupied the legislature in Taipei and held street protests against a proposed trade pact with mainland China, fearing it threatened Taiwan’s democracy and small-enterprise economy. Participants held sunflowers and sat en masse outside legislative chambers as a powerful symbol of hope and transparency—known as the “Sunflower Movement.” The government responded with offers of dialogue, but the protesters continued their high-visibility sit-in and refused to disperse until meaningful changes to negotiation processes were guaranteed.