Thousands of Taiwanese have gathered for a peace rally in Taipei on Sunday in response to series of violent demonstrations that resulted in clashes with the police authorities.  

The police estimated that some 1,500 members and supporters of the ruling Kuomintang party staged a rally in the downtown area and ended by marching toward the police headquarters. These demonstrators expressed their thanks to the police for their effort to keep the demonstrations peaceful since March, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP).

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Police also estimated that 15,000 people gathered for a pro-Kuomintang rally that the right-wing New Party had organized, the report detailed.

The demonstrators waved Taiwan flags and began the event with the national anthem. They also chanted "Long Live the Republic of China," which is the official title of Taiwan, the report continued.

The rallyists lambasted anti-government student leaders Lin Fei-fan and Cheng Wei-ting for staging an occupation of the parliament on March 18.

New Party chairman Yok Mu-Ming demanded to know the contributions of the two protesters to Taiwan and angrily said that they defied the law in their "wild" act, the report detailed.

Activist Wang Ping-chung called the two student leaders "fascists," SCMP added.

A series of rallies have been held recently to protest Taiwan's services trade pact with China and plans for a nuclear power plant. The student-led rallyists occupied the parliament and ambushed some top government offices.

According to opponents, the services deal with China would be detrimental to the country's economy. They also think it would make the country succumb to political pressure from China, the report relayed.

Just this April, around 28,500 rallyists called on the government to halt the construction of an almost-complete nuclear facility. When they blockaded a main street in Taipei, the police were forced to use water cannon to disperse them.

Since President Ma Ying-jeou started ruling in 2008, he has led a significant thaw in the country's relations with China. Ma was re-elected in 2012.

According to Ma's party, Taiwan needs to build new nuclear facilities to secure the country's electricity supplies. Opponents, on the other hand, think that the construction of such facilities poses a great danger in an earthquake-prone region.