Taiwan opposition rallies against President Ma

May 17, 2009, 7:04 GMT

   Taipei - Taiwan's main opposition party demonstrated Sunday against President Ma Ying-jeou's pro-China policies, which some fear will lead to the island's unification with Beijing.

   The marches began in Taipei and the southern port city Kaohsiung at 2 pm (0600 GMT). The pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) protested Ma's China policies, demanded Taiwan's sovereignty be defended and called for the acquittal of ex-president Chen Shui-bian, who is on trial for corruption while in office.

   The DPP said it hoped to mobilize up to half a million people for the protests in both cities.

   In Taipei, protesters led by DPP chairwoman Tsai Ying-wen planned to march to the Presidential Office and keep a 24-hour night vigil.

   In Kaohsiung, the protesters will march through the city to the Central Park for an evening rally.

   Many protestors waved flags and placards reading 'Stop Selling Taiwan to China,' and wore T-shirts and caps with the words 'I Love Taiwan' and 'Taiwan is My Country.'

   Party leader Tsai warned that Sunday's march was the start of a series of protests against Ma, and said the DPP does not rule out seeking to impeach Ma, who was inaugurated on May 20, 2008.

Ma, from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), won the 2008 election on a platform of seeking peace with China and revitalizing Taiwan's economy.

   In the past year, Taiwan has held three dialogues with China and opened sea, air, postal and tourism links.

   While many Taiwanese welcome the economic gains and easing of cross-strait tension, some worry that Taiwan is moving too close to China because Beijing's goal is Taiwan-China unification.

   Ma defended his China policies, saying promoting trade with China is not selling the island's sovereignty to the mainland.

   In several recent interviews, Ma reiterated his inauguration pledge that during his four-year term, he would not discuss unification with China, and Taiwan would not declare independence as long as Beijing does not attack the island militarily.