TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwanese protesters ended their occupation of parliament on Thursday, three weeks after taking over the main chamber to protest against a contentious trade pact with China.

"We came here with ideals, now we leave with more burden," student leader Lin Fei-fan said at a press briefing shortly before dozens of demonstrators clad in black T-shirts walked out of the building at around 1000 GMT (6:00 pm, Singapore time).