President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen will make his decision known when he receives the organizers of the march at the Presidential Office, he said after a news conference at which the march organizer, the "Democracy, Peace and Defend Taiwan Alliance" (
One model is a white globe that Su called a "shining pearl," signifying Taiwan's love of peace and insistence on democracy. The other is a red globe with long spikes, resembling a sea urchin and symbolizing China's violence-oriented autocracy, according to Su.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The two "spiritual forts" signify the strong contrast between the natures of Taiwan and China, Su said.
"The red sea urchin with long pointed spikes also symbolizes China's missiles targeted at Taiwan and the SARS virus spreading to Taiwan, which both convey an uncomfortable feeling of suppression, evil and danger. It is an impression that China has given Taiwan and the whole world," Su added.
At yesterday's news conference, presidential adviser Lee Yuan-chen (李元貞) and the former president of the Taiwan Junior Chamber (國際青年商會), Tsai Shih-yin (蔡世寅), joined fellow alliance members in piercing red balloons resembling sea urchins.
They said the action represents resistance to an invasion by China.
Meanwhile, the alliance has prepared about a dozen mobile phone messages that can be downloaded from its Web site and sent to young people to encourage them to take part in the march.
"We know that young people love using mobile messages to communicate with their friends, and we hope these messages will promote their participation in the march," Cheng Wen-tsan (
Later yesterday, Cheng, DPP caucus whip Peter Lin (
Wang did not give an answer immediately, saying he needed more time to think about it.
Taipei City spokesman Yu Tze-hsiang (
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The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
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