Taiwanese hold massive protest against China
About a million Taiwanese marched through the capital Taipei today, some carrying signs reading “Shame on China”, to express their anger over a new Chinese law that authorises an attack on the island if it moves toward formal independence.
“China is a violent country. We want nothing to do with it,” said protester Wu Chao-hsiung, a carpenter from Taipei. “We have to insist on the freedom to determine our own fate.”
Beijing is worried that self-ruled Taiwan is drifting toward independence, and China’s legislature recently passed a law codifying the use of military force against Taiwan if it seeks a permanent split. A civil war split the rivals 56 years ago.
Tens of thousands assembled at 10 different areas in Taipei, with each route representing one of the articles of the anti-secession law. The marchers converged on the wide boulevard in front of the Presidential Office building.
“What do we want from China? Peace,” lawmaker Bikhim Hsiao led the crowd in chanting.
Joseph Wu, a Cabinet official in charge of China policy, said the protest would force Beijing to change its attitude. “Beijing understands the anti-secession law has caused an international uproar. Now we’ll have to wait and see what they do to remedy the damage,” he said.
Thousands of tour buses brought protesters to Taipei from all over the island. Police estimated the crowd at about a million.
Organisers billed the protest as a carnival for peace. A five-storey-high white balloon representing peace, and an equally tall model of a red sea urchin, its needles symbolising the missiles China is pointing at Taiwan, were erected at the protest site.
“Taiwan is only a small island, so we must speak out really loud to make the world hear that we are a democracy facing an evil giant,” said Vivian Wang, a 38-year-old restaurant worker. She had travelled by bus from the southern city of Kaohsiung – about 300 kilometres (190 miles) away.
Behind her, US and Japanese flags were flying below a green protest banner. Many Taiwanese see those two countries as the island’s most likely allies in any military conflict with China.
President Chen Shui-bian appeared at an intersection along one of the protest routes and waved at bystanders.
Chen has long been a fierce critic of Beijing’s Communist leadership and has resisted China’s increasing pressure to unify. Chen didn’t speak at the event, but chanted slogans with the crowds.
Former President Lee Teng-hui, 82, who has become a vocal supporter of independence since retiring in 2000, also marched in the protest.
