President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday called on Taiwanese citizens to support the realization of the referendum plan, saying that it will be the nation's first opportunity to let their aspirations be known to the world.
It will also serve as a new mechanism to protect the dignity of Taiwanese, he said.
PHOTO: FU CHAO-PIAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"The referendum willl be a joyful event for the nation," Chen said. "We must wipe out all obstacles to achieve the mission of exercising the nation's first direct expression of democracy."
PHOTO: FU CHAO-PIAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen noted his administration's achievements since the power transfer after the 2000 presidential election, saying that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government accomplished many goals, including dealing with corruption cases spawned by the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, along with other various reform measures and initiatives to improve the nation's infrastructure.
The DPP held a series of large-scale campaign rallies to promote the national referendum in Taichuang County, yesterday.
The party's grassroots leaders in central Taiwan and its ally, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), gathered to to urge supporters to press for the DPP's Chen-Lu ticket in the upcoming presidential election.
They will face the pan-blue ticket of KMT Chairman Lien Chan (
Vice President Annette Lu (
"If the referendum is not held, the failure is not going to President Chen's election, but the fate of Taiwan," Lu said.
Kaohsiung City mayor Frank Hsieh (
Tsai praised Chen's performance over his past four years in office, especially in carrying out reforms and endeavoring in improving cross-strait relations.
"Some attack President Chen for doing bad job on cross-strait policy," Tsai said. "As the head of the government's China affairs department, however, I completely disagree with those who criticize him."
"During past four years, I have witnessed President Chen's hard work. He's succeeded in not only maintaining stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait, but he has also protected Taiwan's dignity.
"Many Taiwanese businessmen in China tell me that only President Chen can ensure them a safe home as well as protect their rights," Tsai said.
Hsieh said that the referendum will not only strengthen the nation's democracy, but will also maintain Taiwan's dignity in the international community.
"Eight years ago, despite strong opposition from conservative politicians, including the KMT's James Soong (
"The referendum movement is a historical step to protect Taiwan's dignity, sovereignty, and democracy, and therefore, the presidential election is not just a battle between President Chen and the KMT's Lien Chan, but a struggle between Taiwan's 23 million citizens and Beijing's `authorities,'" Hsieh said.
A group of Taiwanese-American and Tibetan-American students at Harvard University on Saturday disrupted Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng’s (謝鋒) speech at the school, accusing him of being responsible for numerous human rights violations. Four students — two Taiwanese Americans and two from Tibet — held up banners inside a conference hall where Xie was delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the Harvard Kennedy School China Conference 2024. In a video clip provided by the Coalition of Students Resisting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), Taiwanese-American Cosette Wu (吳亭樺) and Tibetan-American Tsering Yangchen are seen holding banners that together read:
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