Pro-independence activists stage protest at airport as mainland official visits Taiwan
Cadre is the most senior representative from mainland China to visit the island since relations with Beijing cooled following the election of a new president
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Taiwanese shouting anti-communist slogans staged an airport protest on Monday against a visit by a top Shanghai official which they see as intended to promote China’s unification with Taiwan.
Sha Hailin, a standing committee member of the Communist Party in the city and head of the United Front Work Department in China’s commercial capital, is the highest-level mainlander to visit since cross-strait ties worsened under Taiwan’s new government.
He arrived in Taipei for an annual forum on municipal exchanges as protesters shouted “Sha, go back to China!” at the capital’s Songshan airport.
Dozens of demonstrators waved placards reading “Expel propaganda communist, defend Taiwan’s sovereignty” and “[Taipei mayor] Ko Wen-je sells out Taiwan”. Some supporters also rallied outside the airport with welcome signs.
Sha, who heads the visiting delegation in place of Shanghai Mayor Yang Xiong, made no comment to reporters but waved to supporters.
Relations with mainland China have grown increasing frosty since Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party won the presidency in January. Beijing is highly suspicious of Tsai because her party is traditionally pro-independence and has warned her against any attempt at a breakaway.
Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office announced it had suspended official contact with Taipei after Tsai’s government, which took office in May, failed publicly to accept the “one China” principle which governed relations under her predecessor.
Taiwan has been self-ruling since splitting with the mainland in 1949 following a civil war, but has never formally declared independence. Beijing still sees it as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
“We are very angry and we refuse China’s propaganda to reunify Taiwan. Taiwan is an independent country. We must maintain our sovereignty and dignity,” said protester Sherry Huang from the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union party.
“China has long wanted to annex Taiwan and we don’t need to continue exchanges with it,” said protester Hsu Ya-chi.
The solidarity union said it planned another demonstration on Monday night at a welcome dinner for the Shanghai delegation in Taipei city hall and vowed to protest throughout Sha’s stay.
