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DPP plans protest during visit by ARATS chairman

A protester wearing a T-shirt that says ‘‘Stop selling out Taiwan!’’ holds up signs that read ‘‘Refuse tainted products’’ and ‘‘China should pay compensation’’ on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei yesterday. PHOTO: CNA

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday it had proposed holding rallies on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 in Taipei City to protest against the upcoming visit of Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen is scheduled to arrive in Taipei next Monday for a second round of cross-strait talks.

The proposed rallies would come hot on the heels of a demonstration on Saturday against Chen’s visit, a perceived lack of government action concerning imports of melamine-tainted milk and the “incompetence” of the government.

The DPP, which co-hosted Saturday’s rally with the Taiwan Solidarity Union and a number of pro-localization groups, said that more than 600,000 people attended the rally. The DPP said it was a success and that it would use “people power” to express its opposition to Chen’s visit and the government’s China-friendly policies.

“Saturday’s rally was a great success as it clearly expressed the five main appeals: No hollowing out sovereignty, no incompetent governance, no ‘one China’ market, no tainted products and no acceptance of Chinese academic degrees,” DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) said.

The focus of the rally was not affected by former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) participation, he said.

The DPP has been put in an awkward position in its relationship with Chen Shui-bian, who was implicated in an alleged money-laundering case.

Some members have suggested the party distance itself from him to stress party integrity and reform, while others worry that doing so would draw ire from its core supporters, most of whom are Chen Shui-bian diehards.

Dozens of people who attended Saturday’s demonstration spent the night on Ketagalan Boulevard — the site of the rally — and continued a sit-in protest yesterday, holding banners and chanting slogans.

Police watched the activity but did not make any attempts to force them to leave as the road permit obtained by the event-organizers allowed the crowd to stay until 10pm last night.

The DPP said the proposed rallies on next Monday and Tuesday would be held in front of Taipei Main Station, but that details were still being discussed.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said in a press statement yesterday that “the tremendous rally showed that Taiwanese identity still existed.”

Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said on Saturday evening that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) would be very happy to talk about combating violence, fighting corruption and other economic issues with Tsai.

Tsai said Ma’s response was an attempt to shift the focus away from people’s resentment of his policies.

“I regret that Ma’s first response was disappointing,” Tsai said. “We have to continue to take to the streets.”

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus said yesterday that the DPP failed to show its opposition to “violence” and “corruption” during Saturday’s rally.

KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) told a press conference that cheering for Chen Shui-bian during the event showed that he had won a “victory” over the public’s “anti-corruption” movement.



ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG

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