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Presidential election 2008: 21 days to go: DPP plans nationwide pro-democracy parade

Democratic Progressive Party members dance around a map of Taiwan at a media conference yesterday to promote the ``Democratic Taiwan, 100 Action'' parade scheduled to be held on March 16. PHOTO: CNA

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) announced yesterday that it plans to hold a parade entitled "Democratic Taiwan, 100 Action" on March 16 in which 1 million people are expected to encircle Taiwan before walking along the island to voice their determination to protect the nation with democracy.

Participants will be asked to walk along the coastline in an anti-clockwise direction when the march starts at 3:14pm under the slogan "protecting Taiwan with democracy, joining the UN and opposing a one-China market," DPP Secretary-General Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) told a press conference.

Lee said the activity originated from the party's 2004 "Hand-in-Hand to Safeguard Taiwan" and recent "Reversing the Tide: Protecting Taiwan" campaigns.

They hope to "walk toward the bright future of Taiwan" and "make the international community aware of Taiwan's existence," Lee said.

The "100" in the title of the latest parade symbolizes voting for the DPP presidential and vice presidential ticket, which is listed as No. 1 on the ballot, while the two zeroes represent the vote to support the two referendums related to the nation's bid for its seat in the UN, he said.

While March 14 marks the third anniversary of China's adoption of its "Anti-Secession" Law, which gives Beijing a legal excuse to invade Taiwan by force, Lee said that one of the reasons the DPP wanted to hold the event was to declare the party's determination to "protect Taiwan with democracy."

Two separate 500km chains will line Taiwan's eastern and western coasts. Gathering points for the chains will be set up every 5km, he said.

Lin Kuo-ching (林國慶), director of DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh's (謝長廷) campaign department, said the southernmost points of the eastern and western lines will be Fugang (富岡) in Taitung County and Donggang (東港) in Pingtung County.

The two lines will join up in Taipei.

Once the two lines are formed, participants will begin a 5km walk at 3:14pm, moving in a counter-clockwise direction around the island, Lin said.
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