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TSU, DPP rallies go head-to-head

To voice its denunciation of China's looming anti-secession legislation, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) will hold a rally in Kaohsiung on Sunday which aims to attract more than 10,000 people, competing with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which will hold a rally in Taipei on the same day.

TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (蘇進強), party Secretary-General Chen Chien-ming (陳建銘) and other TSU officials yesterday morning held a news conference to launch a TV advertisement featuring former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝). The rally's slogan is "oppose annexation and protect Taiwan."

Serving as the "honorary convener" of the Sunday march, Lee calls on the public to join the march in the 25-second ad, saying that "practical action is the best way to oppose China's overbearing law and people who live on this island should come together to say no to China's anti-secession law."

Shu said that China's National People's Congress would begin meeting on Saturday and the TSU would work together with civic groups to hold a large rally opposing the law before the legislation is discussed the following Tuesday.

"The TSU will also invite the leaders of the DPP, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) to take part in this important activity," Shu said.

Shu also criticized former US president Bill Clinton for saying that "the one-China policy will ensure the security of the Taiwan Strait," saying the TSU could not accept such an argument. "In fact, the `one China' policy is a source of trouble. China could use it to annex Taiwan and attack Taiwan," Shu said.

Chen Chien-ming said that the pending legislation would arbitrarily define Taiwan as a part of China's territory. He said it did not make sense that China was menacing people it called "compatriots."

A march will set out from Chungshan Stadium and the National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung at 2pm and move to the Kaohsiung Municipal Cultural Center, where the rally will take place.

The DPP, smarting after being criticized by the TSU over a political agreement between President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), also announced yesterday afternoon that it will stage a rally at Tunhua Junior High School in Taipei opposing Beijing's legislation.

DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said that the party had not informed the TSU of its rally plans but did not mean to compete with the TSU march.

"The DPP welcomes TSU friends who live in Taipei to join our rally, and we would also encourage our members to participate in the march in Kaohsiung," Lee said.

"It is good for us to work together to voice opposition to China's illegitimate legislation in both Taipei and Kaohsiung on the same day," he said.
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