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Small protests greet Chinese envoy
OPPOSITION:Protest groups said they expected hundreds to
take to the streets in Greater Kaohsiung today when Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin
lunches with KMT politicians
By Ko Shu-ling and Vincent Y. Chao / Staff
Reporters
Protesters display posters reading “One
Taiwan, one China” as Chinese negotiator Chen Yunlin arrives at Taiwan Taoyuan
International Airport yesterday, leading a delegation of representatives from
Chinese state-owned companies.
Photo: Sam Yeh/AFP
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS)
Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a six-day visit,
sparking a series of small protests at a number of venues.
Small groups of protesters targeted venues at which Chen made appearances, but
failed to match the scale or intensity seen during his three previous visits to
the country.
However, the rallies are expected to intensify today as Chen makes his first
foray into parts of southern Taiwan.
This is Chen’s first visit to Taiwan mainly for sightseeing. It is also the
first time his wife, who is facing allegations that she had taken advantage of
her husband’s position to embezzle US$300 million, did not accompany him to
Taiwan.
Chen, who is leading a delegation of about 20 Chinese companies, said the
purpose of his trip is to seek development opportunities for both sides and
establish a platform for businesses to exchange opinions and share experiences.
“It is the only and correct way for peaceful development between the two sides,”
he said. “Such exchanges have come too late. However, it is not our fault, but a
historic mistake made in the past that must be corrected.”
Chen also expressed hope that Taiwan would ease regulations on Chinese
investment, saying the more and the earlier, the better.
Groups of protesters led by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) city councilors
and several pro-independence organizations have vowed to tail Chen around the
clock to oppose growing cross-strait ties that they say have come at the expense
of Taiwanese sovereignty.
People hold up signs that say “Resist
Unification” outside the hotel where Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin was staying
yesterday. Chen is currently leading a trade delegation to Taiwan.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
DPP politicians joined by less than a dozen protesters and
Falun Gong supporters confronted Chen as he walked into Grand Hyatt Hotel in
Taipei in the afternoon.
The Chinese envoy did not respond to attempts by Jack Chen (陳嘉爵), the manager of
former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) office, to offer him jasmine flowers and
jasmine tea, a reference to a fledgling protest movement in China.
Jack Chen and other protesters, including DPP Taipei City Councilor Tung
Chung-yen (童仲彥), were stopped outside the hotel by uniformed police, part of the
dozens deployed for the visit. However, there were noticeably fewer police than
before.
Protest groups said they expected hundreds to take to the streets in Greater
Kaohsiung today when Chen Yunlin lunches with local Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)
politicians and tours factories and Kaohsiung Harbor.
“President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is clearly moving toward unification, which is
opposed by 80 percent of the people. We must do what we can do to oppose this
situation ... and fight for Taiwan,” said Chen Che (陳哲), one of the protesters.
Carrying large banners that read “Unification is a [dead] end” and “Refuse
Chinese rule,” retired civil servant Wu Ji-sheng (吳日昇) said Chen Yunlin was “the
devil,” intent on discrediting Taiwan’s de facto independence.
“He’s not welcome here. We don’t want representatives of the Chinese Communist
Party here in Taiwan,” he said.
Sources have confirmed that protesters will congregate at Kaohsiung Harbor to
rally against Chen Yunlin’s first scheduled appearance in Greater Kaohsiung, a
day before he moves on to Chiayi City, Chiayi County and then Yunlin.
The protesters are expected to include dozens of members from the Southern
Taiwan Society, the Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan and the One Side One
Country alliance, spearheaded by Chen Shui-bian’s son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中),
who was elected Greater Kaohsiung councilor in November.
“We don’t want Chen Yunlin to come here as part of [China’s] unification efforts
and show that Taiwan is a part of China,” said Chen Chih-chung, who along with
some DPP councilors, have prepared an open letter to give Chen Yunlin.
“Taiwan is an independent, sovereign country,” reads the first sentence of the
letter.
Chen Chih-chung and several other Greater Kaohsiung councilors filed a lawsuit
against Chen Yunlin hours after his arrival, a Central News Agency report said.
The councilors said Chen Yunlin covered up information about tainted milk
products from China that affected the health of Taiwanese consumers in 2008.
They also accused the Chinese envoy of hindering the freedom of 14 Taiwanese
deported by Philippine authorities to China for their alleged involvement in an
international scam targeting China.
DPP politicians in Chiayi and Yunlin also say they have mobilized dozens of
supporters in anticipation of Chen Yunlin’s visit tomorrow and on Saturday in a
move that hasn’t received an endorsement from central party headquarters, which
has no plans of holding rallies.
As many as 300 police officers are expected to be deployed in and around Chen
Yunlin’s hotel today at the Eda World in rural Greater Kaohsiung. TV footage
showed dozens of barricades have already been set up in and around the tourist
complex, also the venue of the Chinese envoy’s luncheon today.
Also yesterday, Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) -Secretary--General Kao
Koong--liang (高孔廉) told reporters after a 90-minute closed-door forum with
Chinese and Taiwanese businesspeople that both sides had agreed it would only be
to each other’s advantage if more Chinese investments were allowed into Taiwan.
“China has the market and some brand-name products. Taiwan has the manufacturing
power, technology and experience of international marketing. If we work
together, we can increase our global market share,” Kao said. “We think that one
plus one is not equal to two but 11.”
Among the possible cooperation projects is developing wind power on coastal
areas, Kao said, adding that by working together, Taipei and Beijing could build
the world’s biggest power generation center.
However, Kao said those were merely preliminary talks and that both sides would
have to work hard to make the project a reality.
Chinese businesspeople also expressed the hope that Taiwan would relax
regulations on Chinese investments, Kao said.
Two of their major concerns are immigration controls and limitations imposed on
Chinese investors, he said.
To resolve these problems, Kao said the administration would study the
possibility of making it easier for Chinese businesspeople to visit Taiwan
before they establish their companies here, including allowing them to stay for
two months, which can be extended to four.
Taiwan allowed Chinese investment in June 2009, but to date, has only attracted
US$130 million in investments. Chinese businesses have blamed the meager amount
on Taiwan’s tight regulations.
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