Taiwan’s legislature passes changes seen as favouring China

Supporters of the ruling and opposition parties demonstrate at the legislative chamber building in Taipei, Taiwan (Chiang Ying-ying/AP)

Taiwan’s opposition-controlled legislature has passed changes that are seen as favouring China and diminishing the power of the island’s president.

The changes introduced by the opposition Nationalist Party and its allies give the body greater power to control budgets, including defence spending that the party has blocked in what many see as a concession to China.