Hundreds of Taiwanese activists took to the streets and threw eggs and slippers at the motorcade of President Ma Ying jeou in protest of China's launch of a controversial flight route over the Taiwan Strait.

The Taiwanese demonstrators were up in arms over the new route, accusing the government of failing to stand up to China.

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Members of the radical anti-China opposition party, Taiwan Solidarity Union, managed  to break the  police line that was guarding a shrine where the Taiwanese President was visiting but were unable to go further.

The demonstrators carried placards and chanted slogans such as "Ma Ying jeou betraying and humiliating our country" as police tried to push them back in last Sunday's demonstrations.

The controversial route, M503, allows China to fly near the middle of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from mainland China.

"People of Taiwan by no means accept the M503", a protest leader said, accusing the Taiwanese president of being a coward. The protest leader added that Ma is kowtowing to all the wishes of China.

The protesters threw eggs and slippers at the presidential convoy but reports said nobody was hurt in the incident. Major clashes between the police and the demonstrators took place, injuring several protesters and police officers.

At least 13 demonstrators were arrested after the protesters splashed red paint on the walls of the presidential residence.

M503 is one of the four major air routes in which Chinese planes are allowed to fly over the Taiwan Strait from the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang and the cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen in the Fujian province.

Beijing reportedly justified its new route saying it is necessary to prevent congestion on an existing flight path.

Taiwan authorities slammed the move saying the new route puts Taiwan's air defense at risk, prompting China to postpone its M503 launch and move the route closer to the mainland.

The Taiwan government said its discussions about the new route with China will help strengthen the island's aviation security but the protesters would not hear any of it, accusing Taiwan leaders of being overly dependent on China.

TagsTaiwan Strait, flight route, protests