Posted on 03/26/2005 2:10:34 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
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| Taiwan is venting its frustration at China's anti-secession law |
Hundreds of thousands of people are attending a mass protest in Taiwan against China's anti-secession law passed earlier this month.
The law allows China, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, to use "non-peaceful" means to stop any move by the island towards independence.
Senior politicians urged their followers to join the protest.
The island's government has been heartened by broad international criticism of China's new legislation.
Joseph Wu, who heads Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the body responsible for the island's dealings with China, says it is an attempt to remind the rest of the world that Taiwan feels it is under threat.
"We also want to show to the Chinese side that we are angry over the Chinese action and we want to let the Chinese side know that the law has dealt a severe blow to the prospect of peaceful negotiations in between Taiwan and China," Mr Wu said.
There was a noisy protest by taxi drivers in the centre of the capital, Taipei, as demonstrators began to gather around the city on Saturday morning.
Protesters travelled in buses to Taipei, where there are 10 separate marches taking place, symbolising the 10 clauses in Beijing's new law authorising force.
All 10 processions are set to finish in the wide boulevard in front of the presidential palace.
Campaigners have begun singing protest songs, while others have flourished banners reading "Peace" and "No surrender".
President Chen Shui-bian is at the protest, but he will not make a major speech.
Analysts say he is aware the rally has already provoked anger in Beijing and will not want to inflame the situation still further.
Senior government officials in Taiwan argue relations with China have already been damaged by the new law and that what is needed now is an olive branch from Beijing.
Some observers say the march is a clever move by the Taiwanese government to focus the efforts of its more radical pro-independence supporters on street protests rather than on drawing up new anti-China legislation which might, in the long term, cause more damage to cross-Strait relations.
Ping!
You're slacking on this one...no photos? :-P
Checked Yahoo. They had only two, this one and a shot of an old man.:) Don't worry. I will post them as soon as they are available.
Well, now we know the third bureau of the Guojia Anquan Bu will have something to do today.
Blog coverage here: http://www.publiuspundit.com/?p=751
BTTT
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A Taiwanese supporter holds a democracy sign during a massive march in protest of Beijing's anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
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Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian waves two noise-makers as he chants slogans during a pro-Taiwan march in defiance of Beijing's anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
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Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian, center, waves a couple of noise-makers as he chants slogans during a pro-Taiwan march in defiance of Beijing's anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
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Hundreds of thousands of Pro-Taiwan supporters rally in front of the Presidential Building during a massive march in protest of Beijing's anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) |
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A pro-Taiwan supporter denounces China and its anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. The Chinese characters seen on banner read: 'Split.' (AP Photo/Wally Santana) |
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A young Taiwanese supporter holds a democracy sign during a massive march in protest of Beijing's anti-secession law, Saturday, March 26, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taiwan government has amassed over one million pro-Taiwan supporters in the streets of Taipei to rally against Beijing's recently approved anti-secession law allowing legal rights to use military action to halt any moves by Taiwan toward formal independence. (AP Photo/Wally Santana) |
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A pro-independence activist holds a cutout of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, left, and Chinese President Hu Jintao's decapitated heads during a protest outside of the legislature, Tuesday, March 15, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. Pro-Taiwan activists have been protesting Beijing's approval Monday of an anti-secession law that gives the China military authority to attack Taiwan to curb any moves toward formal independence. (AP Photo) |
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A pro-Taiwan independence demonstrator displaying anti-china slogans sits outside the Legislature during a rally against China's anti-secession law, Monday, March 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. China's anti-secessionist law is a serious threat to security in East Asia, Taiwan's government warned, in its first reaction since China's legislature enacted the bill. China's national legislature on Monday overwhelmingly approved a law authorizing a military attack to stop Taiwan from pursuing formal independence, a day after President Hu Jintao told the 2.5 million-member People's Liberation Army to be prepared for war. The headband reads 'Anti-annexation, Save Taiwan'. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
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Pro-Taiwan independence demonstrators burn a Chinese flag outside the Legislature during a rally against China's anti-secession law, Monday, March 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. China's anti-secessionist law is a serious threat to security in East Asia, Taiwan's government warned, in its first reaction since China's legislature enacted the bill. China's national legislature on Monday overwhelmingly approved a law authorizing a military attack to stop Taiwan from pursuing formal independence, a day after President Hu Jintao told the 2.5 million-member People's Liberation Army to be prepared for war. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
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Pro-Taiwan independence demonstrators burn a Chinese flag outside the Legislature during a rally against China's anti-secession law, Monday, March 14, 2005, in Taipei, Taiwan. China's anti-secessionist law is a serious threat to security in East Asia, Taiwan's government warned, in its first reaction since China's legislature enacted the bill. China's national legislature on Monday overwhelmingly approved a law authorizing a military attack to stop Taiwan from pursuing formal independence, a day after President Hu Jintao told the 2.5 million-member People's Liberation Army to be prepared for war. (AP Photo/Jerome Favre) |
China couldn't leave well enough alone. They have only themselves to blame for exacerbating the tension across the Taiwan Strait by passing the anti-secession "law." Dumb move on their part.
Two weeks ago, Taiwan President, Chen Shui-Bian was starting to sound concialitory towards Mainland China, and Europe was considering lifting their arms embargo imposed after the Tiananmen Square incident/massacre.
Now, the Taiwanese people are angrier than ever, the EU isn't lifting the arms embargo, and the U.S. and Japan are vowing to help defend Taiwan.
The Chinese Communists underestimated this one. Let's hope they don't try to save face by doing something even more rash and stupid.
We will see.
Bravo!!! I'm sure we will support them..
Heretofore stealth and undermining have been more their style. This sudden willingness to go public is ominous, showing that they believe our weaknesses sufficient to allow it.
Between illegal immigration, their connections in Latin America, our burgeoning prison population replete with Muslims, an exported raw materials infrastructure, lousy schools, an aging population, crumbling infrastructure, over-extended military, and lousy cash position, they may be right.
You can be asured the Bush regime will stay silent on this as they could care less about freedom for Taiwan. Bush has promised the commies that he believes in the "One China" policy.
With the Bush people, freedom is used selectively. If they can beat up on a two-bit nation like Syria, they will scream for freedom.
When it comes to a nation strongly backed by Russia or China, the Bush "freedom lovers" cower in a corner out of fear.
I think it's time for Japan to start building a fleet of aircraft carriers.
Hey ChiComs, your wayward province is defying you guys, what'cha going to do about it? Hahahaaa...!
There is an interesting letter that everyone should read that was written in the Taipei Times last week. In short, technically ( by international law ) Taiwan still belongs to the United States . So in effect what China is doing is trying to seize US territory. Here is the link :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2005/03/19/2003246919
There is an interesting article that was written in the Taipei Times last week. In short it points out that technically ( by interbnational law ) Taiwan still belongs to the United States. So in effect what China is doing is trying to take territory of the US !!! Here is the link :
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2005/03/19/2003246919
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