- TAIPEI (Reuters) - Tens of
thousands of pro-independence activists took to the streets of Taiwan's
capital Taipei on Saturday to call for the island's official name to be
changed to Taiwan from the Republic of China.
-
- People from across the island chanted "Taiwan people,
Taiwan nation" and "Use the name Taiwan to join the United Nations"
as they slowly marched through Taipei's city center to the presidential
office.
-
- Saturday's peaceful event was the biggest since a massive
farmers' protest last November. Witnesses said more than 50,000 people
took part, while organizers estimated the turnout could top 100,000 people.
-
- "Taiwan is Taiwan. It has never run mainland China.
Why should we insist on calling our country the Republic of China?"
asked Chen Feng-ming, a 45-year-old businesswoman from the southern city
of Kaohsiung.
-
- The name "Republic of China" is a legacy from
when the former ruling Nationalist Party ruled mainland China from Nanjing
before fleeing to Taiwan after losing a civil war to the Communists in
1949.
-
- Beijing insists there is only one China and regards self-governing
Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be eventually reunified, by force
if necessary.
-
- Although an overwhelming majority of the Taiwan public
wants to maintain the ambiguous status quo, local politics is bitterly
split between groups favoring independence for the island or eventual union
with the mainland.
-
- Supporters of reunification with China planned to hold
a counter-protest on Sunday.
-
- With presidential elections six months away, President
Chen Shui-bian chose to distance himself from the rally to avoid alienating
mainstream voters. Chen spent the day in his hometown of Tainan on Saturday
and talked about education reforms.
-
- Chen has mellowed his pro-independence stance since taking
office but refuses to embrace Beijing's one-China principle that states
Taiwan is a part of China.
-
- But former president Lee Teng-hui joined the rally and
was greeted by flag-waving supporters with bullhorns.
-
- "Today's event is a self-awakening movement of the
people," Lee said. "For a long period of time, we let the external
forces determine how we should live. We can't let history block the democracy
and the development of the country anymore."
-
- Retiree Liu Chia-hsiung agreed with Lee.
-
- "We elect our own president and parliament. We are,
in fact, an independent country, not a part of China," said Liu, 65,
wearing a white T-shirt and baseball cap.
-
- "There is no place for the Republic of China in
the world. If we don't change our name, we will eventually be swallowed
by the Chinese communists," said Liu, marching with his five-year-old
grandson.
-
- The protesters demanded the government remove any reference
to the mainland and change the names of many state-controlled companies,
including Chinese Petroleum Corp, China Steel, China Airlines and China
Shipbuilding Corp.
-
- The government began adding the word "Taiwan"
in English to the cover of its new passports, saying it was aimed at helping
foreign customs' officials and airlines distinguish Taiwan citizens from
mainland Chinese.
-
- Beijing has slammed the passport decision, saying the
island was moving toward independence.
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- Democratic but diplomatically isolated Taiwan is recognized
by fewer than 30 countries and barred from most international organizations.
Taiwan was ousted from the United Nations in 1971 and was replaced by China.
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