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Taiwanese groups to
protest against Xi Jinping¡¦s US visit
By William Lowther / Staff Reporter in Washington
Taiwanese-Americans will join other protest groups for a demonstration outside
the White House next week when Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (²ßªñ¥) arrives
in Washington. The groups ¡X including Uighurs and Tibetans ¡X will gather in
Lafayette Square and are almost certain to be seen by Xi and his entourage.
Xi, expected to be China¡¦s next president and chair of the National People¡¦s
Congress, will meet with US President Barack Obama on Tuesday for wide-ranging
talks that could lay the foundation for future US-China relations.
The joint protest is to express ¡§deep concern¡¨ about Chinese repression against
Tibet and East Turkestan and about China¡¦s continuing refusal to renounce the
use of force against Taiwan.
Formosan Association for Public Affairs president Mark Kao (°ªÀsºa) has written to
Obama, appealing for him to ¡§reaffirm America¡¦s support for freedom, democracy
and human rights in Taiwan.¡¨
He says in the letter: ¡§We understand that the US needs to engage China.
However, such engagement should not come at the expense of America¡¦s core
values. We ask that you remind Mr Xi that it is a core interest of the US that
the future of Taiwan be resolved peacefully and with the express consent of the
people of Taiwan. We ask that you impress upon Mr Xi that China dismantle its
1,600 missiles targeted at Taiwan and renounce the use of force against Taiwan.¡¨
Kao added that it was essential that China end Taiwan¡¦s international political
isolation.
¡§Taiwan deserves an equal place in the international family of nations, and its
people should be fully represented in international organizations such as the
United Nations, the World Health Organization and others,¡¨ he said.
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