Taiwan scraps nuclear referendum plan

The Taiwanese Government has dropped plans to hold a referendum over the fate of a controversial nuclear power project.

The government had promised to hold the vote after anti-nuclear groups held demonstrations against the $5.5bn power plant scheme earlier this year.

The government said it had scrapped the referendum plan because it would create too much political and economic uncertainty.

Taiwan's government had originally vetoed the power plant project, but was forced to resume construction work after protests from the opposition-controlled parliament.

Opposition groups argued that the government's anti-nuclear policy would seriously harm the island's economy.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service