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Taiwan Society officially started

The Taiwan Society, a new pro-independence group comprising more than 100 public societies, yesterday announced its official establishment. The society's leaders vowed to push a "second wave" of democratization and create a better political and cultural environment for Taiwan.

Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), who is the honorary president of Taiwan Society and was to give a speech yesterday, was absent from the event because of health problems, according to the chairman of the Taiwan Society, Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民).

About 1,000 supporters, including many political heavyweights, attended the celebration and fundraising banquets. Presidential Office Secretary-General Mark Chen (陳唐山), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman Yu Shyi-kun and Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Shu Chih-chiang (蘇進強) yesterday showed up for the occasion.

"The establishment of the Taiwan Society does not aim to support specific people. It is for all the people of Taiwan," said Wu, who is also the chairman of the Northern Taiwan Society.

"Today is just a start. We will go on conducting many projects to rebuild people's confidence in Taiwan, and we hope that the society can become a power that stabilizes the turbulent political situation."

The Taiwan Society, which is based on the organizations of the Northern Taiwan Society, Southern Taiwan Society and Eastern Taiwan Society along with other many domestic and overseas pro-independence groups, aims to unify all the civic groups that are pro-Taiwan identity and promote political and cultural reform. Most importantly, the society hopes to fight to keep a pro-localization party in power in 2008, said Northern Taiwan Society secretary-general Chet Yang (楊文嘉), who was the main force behind the establishment of the Taiwan Society.

Yang said that the Taiwan Society will hold a series of activities to promote the society's goals, and that hopefully it would attract more young people to join in its activities.

Meanwhile, at the ceremony, Mark Chen confirmed that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will give his response to recent controversies on a TV talk show or news channel. President Chen will also talk about his vision for the country for the rest of his presidential term. However, the president will not mention the case of his son-in-law or the first lady because the accusations against them are being handled by the judiciary, Mark Chen said yesterday.
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