The pro-Taiwanese independence Formosa Alliance is to part ways with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and adopt a new, symbolic turquoise banner, the party said at a commemoration in Taipei yesterday of the 30th anniversary of the death of democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕).
In 1984, Deng started Freedom Era Weekly (自由時代週刊) to pursue what he called “100 percent freedom of speech.”
In 1988, after publishing a draft “Republic of Taiwan constitution,” he was charged with sedition, after which he went into self-imposed isolation.
Photo: CNA
On April 7, 1989, following 70 days of isolation, he set himself on fire as heavily armed police attempted to break into his office.
In 2016, then-premier Lin Chuan (林全) designated April 7 as Freedom of Speech Day in honor of Deng.
Yesterday’s event drew more than 300 people for musical performances and speakers who shared their memories of Deng, as well as disappointments with the DPP administration.
The party has taken the helm twice, but refrains from telling the world that the nation is “Taiwan,” not “Chinese Taipei,” alliance founder and former Formosa TV chairman Kuo Pei-hung (郭倍宏) said.
The alliance has been urging the government to amend the Referendum Act (公民投票法) to allow referendums on declaring the nation’s independence and changing its name.
The Formosa Alliance plans to adopt turquoise as its color, because the color symbolizes the spirit of the ocean and the land of Taiwan, while differentiating it from the DPP, whose color is green, Kuo said.
“As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) makes more blatant attempts to annex Taiwan, the DPP administration continues to lead the nation toward a dead end by failing to make the world know that the nation is called ‘Taiwan,’” he said.
Regrettably, today’s young people take freedom of speech for granted, while three decades ago, Deng had to sacrifice his life for it, New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said.
Chen Yung-hsin (陳永興), founder of the Chinese-language Taiwan People News, called on the audience — mostly middle-aged or older people — to improve communication with the younger generation.
Many young people support President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) because she promotes marriage equality, but they pay little attention to the issue of rectifying the nation’s name, which should be given equal importance, he added.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park this weekend, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a theme food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances. Pokemon Go Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as photo attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs. Pokemon trainers could also experience the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area. Three PokeStops are to be set up in the park. Trainers are invited to take
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