1025 rally to safeguard Taiwan
The October 25, 2008 anti-China protest was a Taiwanese demonstration sponsored by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Taiwan Solidarity Union in Taipei, Taiwan.This protest march was launched five months after Ma's inauguration and was preceded by an earlier protest in August which focused on Ma's failing economic plans.
The protesters marched against the pro-China policies of the Ma administration. Half a million people were reported to have participated in the march. It was planned by the DPP in response to the Chinese tainted milk powder scandal and the government's growing ties with China.
Background
Chinese oppressions
Self-ruled Taiwan has been claimed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) as its own since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. The PRC has threatened to use force, if necessary, to bring the island under its rule.[1]
Zhang Mingqing, the deputy chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, arrived in Taiwan about a week before the protest. When asked by reporters to comment on President Ma's remarks that there will be no war across the Taiwan Strait in the next four years, Zhang expressed that there will never be war in the Strait if there is no Taiwan independence.[2]
During a private visit to the Taiwan Confucian Temple in Tainan, Zhang fell to the ground as he encounters a small number of protestors led by DPP legislator Wang Ting-yu. It was not clear whether he tripped or was pushed down. The car that Zhang was in was attacked and damaged by a protester. Later, Zhang remarked, "Those who commit violence do not get what they want, but instead drop a rock on their own feet."[2]
The quoted comment was seen as an ironic comment by pro-independence Taiwanese as Zhang had just posed a military threat prior to the incident. Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu demanded President Ma to condemn China's use of violence on Taiwan. She said that the export of toxic food and the thousands of missiles aimed at Taiwan are also forms of violence.[3]
Toxic products
Food safety in the People's Republic of China has become a major issue in Taiwan. The Ma administration's close ties with China has worried the pro-localization population. The milk powder scandal became not only a public health issue, but a political one as well. The government's ability to resolve the issue was questioned by the media. The Department of Health was heavily criticized by the Consumers' Foundation and investigated by the Control Yuan.[4]
Other than condemning China, DPP declared that President Ma should request compensation from China. DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen also criticized the government's weak policies toward China.[5] Some Kuomintang legislators, on the other hand, criticized the PRC government for notifying Taiwan after being reported by Taiwanese media.
Economic problems
Organization
Parade routes
- "Oppose Toxic Goods" (approx. 3.9 km)
- "Oppose One China Education" (approx. 3.4 km)
- "Oppose the Hollowing Out of Sovereignty" (approx. 3.8 km)
- "Oppose a One China Market" (approx. 4.2 km)
- "Oppose the Incompetent Government" (approx. 4.8 km)
The planned starting point of the first route "Oppose Toxic Goods" was the Dinghao Plaza. The plaza was already full of protesters before the scheduled time. Some of the politicians who took this route were former President Chen Shui-bian, former president of the World United Formosans for Independence Peng Ming-min and current president Ng Chiau-tung, and former foreign minister Chen Tang-shan.[6]
The participants of the "Oppose One China Education" route started out in front of the main gate of the National Taiwan University. Protesters are mostly students who resisted the government's policy to recognize Chinese diploma. Leaders of this group include DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, former Kaohsiung mayor Yeh Chu-lan, current mayor Chen Chu, and Kaohsiung County magistrate Yang Chiu-hsing.[6]
The third route was organized by the TSU. Protesters marched from the Longshan Temple. The TSU convened about 20,000 people including members of Victims of Investment in China Association. The participants called against Ma's policy to weaken the sovereignty of Taiwan.[6]
The fourth route was led by former premier Yu Shyi-kun, who was accompanied by Yunlin County magistrate Su Chih-fen, deputy magistrate Lee Ying-yuan, Tainan County magistrate Su Huan-chih, and Tainan mayor Hsu Tain-tsair. Protesters held a banner with slogan "Love Yunlin, Rebut Chen Yunlin!" The last route "Oppose the Incompetent Government" was led by former DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang. Protesters T-shirts with slogans such as "Defend Taiwan" and "I am Taiwanese, not Chinese."[6]
Participants
Because the protest march was launched primarily by the Democratic Progressive Party, participants were predominantly pan-green. Former DPP chairmen Yao Chia-wen, Su Tseng-chang, and Yu Shyi-kun all participated in the march. Despite recent controversies, former President Chen Shui-bian also marched and took the "Oppose Toxic Goods" route. The DPP organizers announced that there were over 600,000 protesters.[7]
Media coverage
References
- ^ "Half a million march in Taiwan against China" (Press release). Reuters. 10-25-2008. Retrieved 10-25-2008.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ a b "ARATS man jostled, jeered at in Tainan" (Press release). Taipei Times. 10-22-2008. Retrieved 10-25-2008.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "陳菊籲馬英九應譴責中國大陸對台灣的暴力" (Press release) (in traditional Chinese). Epoch Times. 10-22-2008. Retrieved 10-25-2008.
{{cite press release}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "官員處置慢半拍 監院調查" (Press release) (in traditional Chinese). Apple Daily. 2008-09-15. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "中國奶粉事件 蔡英文：馬政府處理軟弱" (Press release) (in traditional Chinese). Radio Taiwan International. 2008-09-17. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b c d "五路民怨沸 嗆馬聲破表" (Press release) (in traditional Chinese). Liberty Times. 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "60萬人怒吼 嗆馬無能" (Press release) (in traditional Chinese). Liberty Times. 2008-10-26. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)