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Pro-democracy supporters in Taiwan are protesting the visit of a senior Chinese official. Chen Yunlin is in Taiwan for a trade visit, but protestors want him out of the island, arguing investment activities are a tactic by the Chinese regime to regain control of Taiwan.

In Taiwan's city of Kaohsiung, angry protesters held up banners, demanding the expulsion of a senior Chinese communist official visiting Taiwan on Thursday. The demonstrators believe the visit of the Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, Chen Yunlin is part of the Chinese regime's efforts to unify the island.

Chen arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday for an economic forum. His envoy leads a group of investors from mainland China looking for investment opportunities in Taiwan.

There's been a recent sharp increase in these trade visits, with senior Chinese officials looking to spend money across the strait. Last year, the former political rivals signed an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) to cut tariffs and bring the two sides closer.

Pro-democracy supporters like the chairman of the Taiwan Solidarity Union, Huang Kun-huei have been opposing the closer economic ties.

[Huang Kun-huei, Chairman of Taiwan Solidarity Union]:
"They're not here for business, rather it's a unification tactic. Like the signing of ECFA, what results have we seen? Without these, [the government] wants to let mainland investments in Taiwan, letting mainland business control key industries in Taiwan. I think this absolutely should not happen."

Many residents in Kaoshiung are pro-democracy supporters. Protestors there threw eggs and flowers at Chen's vehicle as it travelled through the city.

The demonstrators say they will follow Chen until his visit ends on Monday .