Over 100,000 join anti-China rally in Taipei
(Reuters)

18 March 2006



TAIPEI - Chanting “Oppose missiles, Want peace”, more than 100,000 supporters of Taiwan’s pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian joined a rally on Saturday to protest China’s threat to use force against the self-ruled island.


The rally, organised by Chen’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), marked the first anniversary of China’s passage of the Anti-Secession Law that authorises war if Taiwan declares statehood, thereby violating Beijing’s “one China” policy.

China and Taiwan split at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949.

With red balloons symbolising Chinese missiles, the DPP said the huge crowd showed the world the Taiwan people’s determination to defend a democratic way of life.

“Taiwan is not part of China and China should stop threatening us with its missiles and with its bullets,” said Song Wen-ling, a 60-year-old retiree.

Taipei says Beijing had accumulated nearly 800 missiles targeting the island and was adding to its arsenal at a rate of between 75-100 a year. Some security analysts say the Taiwan Strait is one of Asia’s most dangerous hot spots.

Under sunny skies, the participants, many of who were bused in from all over the island, waved flags and held placards reading “Protect democracy, Oppose annexation”, “Love peace, Love Taiwan”. They chanted slogans and sang songs in the Taiwanese dialect.

“Taiwan is a a democracy, whether or not we should be independent or be part of China is up to us Taiwanese. We should not submit to China bullying,” said 48-year-old engineer Lee Guo-qing.

President Chen did not join the march to the presidential office as expected after local media reported that about 6,000-7,000 police were mobilised to ensure his safety.

But Chen, in an emotive speech at the end of the rally, told the crowd that he stood firmly by his decision to scrap a dormant but symbolic Taiwanese body called the National Unification Council last month. The move triggered condemnation by China.

“Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country. Taiwan’s national sovereignty belongs to its 23 million people,” said Chen, accompanied by senior government and party officials.

“Taiwan’s national sovereignty, Taiwan’s future is not up to China’s 1.3 billion people to decide,” Chen said outside the presidential office.


Full article.