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Pro-Taiwan rally held
at APEC meet
CONCERN: A Taiwanese-American community leader
said there was growing concern about the erosion of democracy in Taiwan and
Chinaˇ¦s looming shadow
By William Lowther / Staff Reporter in Washington
Taiwanese-Americans living in
Hawaii protest outside the venue of the APEC summit in Honolulu at the weekend.
Photo courtesy of the Formosa Association for Public Affairs
The Taiwanese-American community in Hawaii
staged a peaceful demonstration during the APEC meeting, urging member countries
not to give in to pressure from ˇ§a repressive and undemocratic China.ˇ¨
ˇ§Taiwan has been considered a second-class member of the international community
for too long,ˇ¨ organizer Lin Yu-chong said.
ˇ§It is a member of APEC, but Taiwanˇ¦s level of representation is not on par with
that of the other APEC members,ˇ¨ said Lin, president of the Hawaii chapter of
the Formosan Association for Public Affairs.
ˇ§This is unfair and it needs to change. After all, Taiwan is a sovereign,
independent country just like the other APEC members,ˇ¨ Lin added.
Accoridng to Lin, China seeks to isolate Taiwan and the Taiwanese-American
community is concerned about the erosion of democracy in Taiwan.
ˇ§It is due to the increasing shadow of China over the island, made possible by
the drift to China precipitated by the present government,ˇ¨ he said.
Organizers estimate that 100 Taiwanese-Americans took part in the demonstration.
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