Executive Yuan names March 14 as a remembrance day

March 14, the day Beijing passed its "Anti-Secession" Law targeting Taiwan last year, has been designated as a national memorial day, effective this year, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday.

"Today is the 10th anniversary of the day the Chinese government tried to threaten and demonstrate its force against Taiwan by organizing a ballistic missile exercise in 1996. It was an issue the whole world paid attention to," Deputy Government Information Office Minister William Yih (易榮宗) said. "We decided to make March 14 a memorial day because it was this day a year ago that the Chinese government passed its `Anti-Secession' Law."

"Anti-Aggression Day" will not be a national holiday, however, meaning people will not be given the day off work, he said

Yih, speaking on behalf of Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), made the remarks during a press conference following the weekly Cabinet meeting yesterday. He said Su had approved the idea as soon as it was proposed.

"When they [Chinese officials] tried to prove their determination to invade Taiwan with militarily by introducing the Anti-Secession Law last year, the Taiwanese people took advantage of peaceful marches to express their anger. We want to mark the day as a reminder that our enemy is still there, but we are more than happy to resolve the problems peacefully," Yih said.

He said the day would also serve as a constant reminder to the Chinese government that the people of Taiwan hate any sort of military force and only peace and democracy would be welcomed here.

Taiwan Solidarity Union caucus whip David Huang (黃適卓) lauded the establishment of "Anti-Aggression Day," saying it would help the Taiwanese people to strengthen the "defense of their hearts" against China.

"The memorial day will remind people to remember the day China passed a law to use military force against Taiwan and encourage them not to be afraid of China's military threat," he said.

People First Party caucus whip Lee Hung-chun (李鴻鈞) said the new national day has no substantial meaning besides being "a boring political game."

Lee said the government would not be able to achieve the national goal of anti-aggression just by creating a "national day."

He said the government should take more concrete action such as having good relations with the US and maintaining cross-strait peace.

Additional reporting by Shih Hsiu-chuan