Tens of thousands of marchers took to the streets in support of the government yesterday, protesting Beijing's military threats and opposing unification with China.
Amid flying green flags, red missile-shaped balloons, and waving "Made in Taiwan" towels, tens of thousands of participants poured onto Taipei's streets to express their abhorrence of China's military posturing and their desire for a peaceful, independent Taiwan.
The "Defending Democracy and Opposing Annexation" parade was launched by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and the Taiwan Democratic Alliance for Peace yesterday.
PHOTO: LIAO CHEN-HUEI, TAIPEI TIMES
The parade began at Songshan Tobacco Factory at 2:30pm and was divided into three groups, which represented civil groups, the Taiwan Democratic Alliance and the DPP.
The DPP's Department of Culture and Information released a statement saying that more than 170,000 people joined in the parade, a figure which could not be independently verified. As is usual in Taiwan, media outlets gave conflicting figures, some as low as 45,000.
Meanwhile, a policeman at the scene said that the turnout of the parade exceeded 100,000 people, but could not provide details as to how that figure had been reached. When contacted by telephone, the Taipei City Police Headquarters' Public Safety Bureau said it had no figures available.
PHOTO: CNA
President's speech
The climax of the march came when the president gave a fiery speech lambasting China and unification supporters.
Standing before thousands of marchers from around the country, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said his decision regarding the operation of the National Unification Council (NUC) had been made to ensure that the people of Taiwan have the freedom to decide their own future. He said he was firmly opposed to "the eventual goal of unification" proposed by Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou (
The DPP tried to downplay the decision about the NUC as one of the parade themes before the event. However, Chen -- who did not join the march -- delivered a speech at the rally point for the event on Ketagelan Boulevard. In his speech he focused on his decision to have the NUC "cease to function."
He also said that endowing the people of Taiwan with the right to hold referendums was part of his life's work, adding that he had worked hard to hold Taiwan's first national referendum in in 2004 despite extensive pressure.
Although the people of Taiwan had gained the right to hold referendums, their freedom to choose was still in danger, he said.
"The people of Taiwan are being given only one option -- that is to unify with China. This violates democratic principles," Chen said.
"I had promised that I would rather have failed in my re-election bid than have failed to hold that first referendum. Likewise, I would rather be recalled than fail to cease the operation of the NUC and unification guidelines."
"Therefore, to transform Taiwan into a normal, democratic country, we need the right to referendum. And for Taiwan's future, we need the right to free choice," Chen said, his voice hoarse because he had to shout his speech.
Ma had previously criticized the president's plan to attend the rally, saying "the one who rules the roost should not create trouble," but Chen responded to this yesterday, saying that "the one who rules the roost of Taiwan is not myself, but the 23 million people of Taiwan."
Chen then blasted Ma and the KMT in a thinly veiled reference.
"Someone, via the media, asked people not to go out into the street to protest China. But I want to ask this person why a great host of this land's people cannot take to the streets to voice outrage against China's aggression and threats to invade?" Chen said.
"Such people don't dare to challenge China. On the contrary, they went to China to fawn over the Chinese authorities, and even tried to stop the people of Taiwan from voicing their thoughts," Chen said. "If the KMT and the People First Party dare to walk into the street to protest China to the world, I will invite all of you to walk with them."
Chen said that Taiwan's sovereignty cannnot be divided up, shared, deprived or limited.
"The decision about Taiwan's future belongs to 23 million Taiwanese, not to 1.3 billion Chinese," Chen said, who then led the crowd in chanting "Long live democracy!" and "Long live Taiwan!"
Vice President Annette Lu (
Missiles and towels
DPP Chairman Yu Shyi-kun said the parade had been more successful than the DPP expected, adding that so long as China does not stop its oppression of Taiwan and does not rescind the "Anti-Secession" Law, the party would hold a parade every March.
The marchers had a variety of props representing the various themes of the rally. These included missile-shaped balloons to represent China's military threat, towels reading "Made in Taiwan" to represent the danger posed by Chinese industries to Taiwanese workers, and panda mock-ups symbolizing China's soft unification strategy.
Walking among the crowd with dozens of his friends, Huang Shi-an (黃世安), a Taiwanese expatriate who lives in Washington, returned three days ago expressly to support the rally.
"Taiwan and China are two different nations, with one country on each side [of the Taiwan Strait] ... I am happy to see so many people coming out to support Taiwan," he told the Taipei Times.
Another participant, Lien Shu-yu (
"If we are unified with China, Taiwan will be marginalized and regionalized ... All of the Taiwanese should stand up for an independent Taiwan," she said.
Along the way, the marchers chanted slogans like "Defend the freedom of Taiwan" and "Taiwan is not part of China," and sang the theme song of the "228 Hand-in-Hand Rally," You are my babe, as they streamed through the city.
Along the Ketagelan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office, Hsu Shin-de (
Like most of the participants, he supported the president's decision about the NUC and its guidelines.
"China is China and Taiwan is Taiwan. I am glad that more and more people are supporting this idea," he told the Taipei Times.
His friend from the US, Joe Driskill, shared the enthusiasm of the scene and said he supported the parade's theme of opposing China's annexation of Taiwan.
"It's exciting to see the enthusiasm of the parade ... I support self-determination," he said.
But the opposition parties questioned the legitimacy of the DPP leading a parade.
"Those who are in charge of the country should not lead a riot. As the ruling party, the DPP should solve the problems Taiwan faces today ... Pouring onto the streets to parade is what opposition parties do," KMT Spokeswoman Cheng Li-wen (
People First Party (PFP) caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟), on the other hand, said that the president's effort to make Taiwan a normal country by holding a referendum is a "dead end," and asked the president instead to "find a way out for the 23 million people."
The PFP is holding a rally today to oppose Chen's policies. KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (
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