Support "China No, Taiwan Yes" Movement
Ching-chih Chen

The People’s Republic of China passed its so-called “Anti-secession Law” on Monday, March 13, 2005. This is a law authorizing the Chinese Communist party state the use of force to invade and annex Taiwan. The people of Taiwan understandably are enraged. They are organizing a massive “China No, Taiwan Yes” demonstration on Saturday, March 26. This is a major protest demonstration planned to showcase the Taiwanese determination to resist Chinese threats and intimidation. It is not only to demonstrate to the world of the Taiwanese protest to the Chinese plan to annex Taiwan but also to prove to themselves that they do have the will to confront the Chinese challenge and the ability to unite in their effort in massive force. They have witnessed on TV that 2 million Lebanese participated in their anti-Syria demonstration on the streets of Beirut on the day China adopted the afore-mentioned law. The Taiwanese are determined to avoid the fate of alien military occupation that the Lebanese have experienced and are still experiencing. .

No one on this planet has the right to ask the Taiwanese to suffer in silence. The Taiwanese are shouting “No to China” for the Chinese and others to witness. They are shouting “Yes to Taiwan” to energize themselves. If they cannot stand up and be counted at a time like this, when can they? They are not asking what Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian can do for them, but instead are doing what they can do for themselves and for Taiwan. They are building the support that is needed in a democratic society so that their democratically elected leaders can carry out the mission expected of them.

What should we Taiwanese in North America do? We must give our fellow Taiwanese back home as much support as we can. Overseas Taiwanese organizations, particularly those in North America, are planning to demonstrate on March 25 and 26 our support for the “China No, Taiwan Yes” movement. Let’s unite in this effort. Get ready to join the demonstration to be held in major cities throughout North America. Mobilize your relatives and friends who love a free and democratic Taiwan to join force in the demonstration. We should walk on our own two feet to march in protest of the Chinese territorial design against Taiwan. Naturally, also welcome to join in the coming protest march are young mothers pushing their baby carriages, and fragile elderly persons riding their wheel chairs. If we cannot take this step for the sake of Taiwan at this juncture, how can we motivate ourselves to take future steps that will be needed to help realize the big dream—the establishment of a true Taiwanese republic with its new constitution?