Protesters yesterday threw flowers at the motorcade of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) in an attempt to draw attention to Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy activists and rights lawyers.
Instead of jasmine, which has come to symbolize the protests that have swept across north Africa and the Middle East, protesters waved and handed out white chrysanthemums because jasmine is not in season, organizers said.
The protesters also wore white headbands with the words “Respect, Jasmine, Peace” printed on them and called on China to respect human rights, democracy and the right to assembly.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
A retired civil servant at the protest said that “of course” he supported pro-democratic protests in China, adding that they could pave the way for more peaceful relations with Taiwan.
“We don’t have anything against the Chinese people — it’s the government we are concerned with,” said the man, who did not give his name.
Outside E-DA World, where Chen is staying, representatives from pro-independence groups gathered together in the afternoon and sang Mo Li Hua, a popular Chinese folk song about jasmine, while waving the white flowers in the direction of the hotel.
During Chen’s first day in Taiwan on Monday, protesters including Democratic Progressive Party politicians attempted to deliver plastic flowers and a box of jasmine juice to the hotel where the Chinese delegation was staying.
Demonstrators attempted to do so again yesterday, but were quickly stopped by police.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said that the Chinese Communist Party was planning and implementing “major” reforms, ahead of a political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda. Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since late 2022, when restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. The world’s second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high unemployment among young people. Policymakers “are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner,” Xi said in a speech at the Great Hall
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,