Taiwan opposition poised to pass controversial bills as backlash grows

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's parliamentary crisis escalated Tuesday, as the opposition prepared to use its majority in the legislature to force through controversial bills despite growing protests and concerns raised by former U.S. officials and academics.

Inside the Legislative Yuan, lawmakers from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), which together command a majority, had commandeered the area around speaker Han Kuo-yu's chair to ensure he can move proceedings forward without interruption. Some lawmakers were outfitted in protective gear, ready for more physical confrontations, after politicians brawled over the bills on Friday.