In defiance of a fresh United Nations snub, Taiwan plans to stage a massive march next month in support of its bid to join as 'Taiwan' and a referendum on the same issue.
The march comes despite opposition from the United States, which reportedly plans to punish the island over the referendum by downgrading transit treatment for President Chen Shui-bian during his upcoming visit to Central America.
The march will be sponsored by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and held in Kaohsiung on September 15, three days ahead of the opening of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, DPP secretary-general Lin Chia-lung said yesterday.
'The decision to hold the march was approved by the party's central standing committee,' Mr Lin said, adding the DPP will budget NT$36 million (HK$8.57 million) for it and related activities.
He said the DPP would hold a mass night rally in Kaohsiung, and all DPP legislators would be asked to mobilise supporters, with more than 50,000 people expected.
Supporters worldwide are urged to hold rallies to coincide with the events and to express their support for the UN bid. DPP officials said it would also seek 1.2 million signatures by October 15 in order to meet the legal requirement for a referendum.
