Alliance calls rally to prove Taiwanese care about securing their own defense

In an attempt to demonstrate that Taiwanese have the will to defend their country -- and to oppose the pan-blue camp's obstruction of the arms-procurement package -- the Hand-in-Hand Taiwan Alliance is organizing a rally in Taipei this Sunday afternoon that it hopes will attract 30,000 people.

A day after the arms bill was blocked for the 29th time in the Legislative Yuan's Procedure Committee, the alliance held a conference to announce Sunday's march.

"This rally is concerned about the judgement of friendly countries who have supported us and we want to let them know that all of the people of Taiwan, here or overseas, are in fact desperate to protect Taiwan," said Northern Taiwan Society chairman Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民), a member of the alliance.

Ruan Ming (阮銘), a national policy adviser to the president, yesterday attacked the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) as "Chinese collaborators" for shutting out the weapons bill and called Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) an "evil backstage manipulator."

"How Taiwan's politicians react to the arms bill is the touchstone of their loyalty to Taiwan," Ruan said. "All of us have to realize that it's impossible for the US to aid a country that is ready to surrender."

In reaction to US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Richard Lawless's warning to Taiwan that, "We cannot help defend you, if you cannot defend yourself," DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said that part of the speech was incorrect in that most Taiwanese love their country and have the will to defend it.

"In fact, the overwhelming majority of the people of Taiwan love Taiwan. Only the politicians of the KMT and the PFP carefully and intentionally disrupt Taiwan," Lee said. "The pan-blue lawmakers are paralyzing the legislature and have blocked the arms bills 29 times. They simply want to engulf Taiwan in chaos."

Lee said KMT and PFP tactics echoed Beijing's "soft unification war" and that the two parties were fawning over China.

"I urge all the people of Taiwan to see through the pan-blues' disguise and not let them mess up the country by colluding with China," he said.