Protesters against the government's plan to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China are planning to take their opposition to the streets on June 6.
Michelle Wang (王美琇), an official with the Taiwan Rescue Action Alliance and one of the organizers of the planned demonstration, said yesterday that they wanted the international community to know that not all Taiwanese support the trade pact and that “the people are fed up” with the government's continued push to sign it.
The date was announced after a meeting yesterday among pro-independence organizations and observed by representatives from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).
Despite earlier media reports that the protest might be held on May 20 to coincide with the second anniversary of President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) inauguration, participants at the meeting said that organizers changed the date because the DPP is scheduled to hold its vote for chairperson on May 23.
Adding that a number of labor organizations and grassroots movements are expected to join, organizers said hundreds of thousands are expected to attend the rally, which would make it the biggest demonstration against the ECFA to date.
A DPP rally in Taichung on Dec. 20 last year against what the party called the Ma administration's non-transparent decision-making process on the proposed ECFA attracted 100,000 people, the DPP said at the time.
Police put the number at 30,000.
DPP Spokesperson Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) yesterday said that while party officials had not yet officially endorsed the June 6 rally, the proposal is under consideration by the party’s nine-member ECFA response team.
Party insiders said the DPP would likely either co-host or officially participate in the rally.
Some of the demands to be made at the June 6 demonstration will include asking the Ma government to agree to a nationwide referendum on an ECFA.
The TSU will submit papers required for the first phase of a referendum to the Referendum Review Committee next week.
Details about the locations and length of the rally have not been finalized.
Some groups, including the Taiwan Referendum Alliance, were quoted by the Central News Agency as having asked rally organizers to apply continuous pressure on the Ma administration by holding rallies of between 5,000 and 10,000 protesters a day around the legislature, with slogans that read “We will not disperse if there is no referendum.”
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
RSS