Unification protest groupslams Chen's performance

Supporters of the movement for Taiwan's unification with China took to the streets yesterday, calling on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to follow Beijing's "one China" principle.

Led by Wang Chin-ping (王金平), chairman of the Alliance for the Unification of China, around 200 marchers set out from the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall at 1pm. The march ended at the Ta An Forest Park at 4:30pm.

Waving banners and chanting slogans, pro-unification participants, including Legislator Elmer Feng (馮滬祥)of the New Party and Taipei County Councilor Chin Chieh-shou (金介壽), heavily slammed the performance of the new government led by the DPP.

Speaking at the event, Feng criticized the president for following former president Lee Teng hui's (李登輝) route, saying that Lee's policies were actually advocating "Taiwan's independence in nature."

Feng asked Chen to accept the "one China" principle and resume cross-strait talks.

Feng also led participants as they chanted "anti-Taiwan independence, accelerate the unification of China."