Asia One
Date: Apr 10, 2015
By: AFP
TAIPEI – Taiwanese rallied Friday to mark the anniversary of the end of the “Sunflower
Taiwanese activists rally to keep ‘Sunflower’ spirit alive
Leaders of Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement Lin Fei-fan (2nd L) and Huang Kuo-chang (R) and activists shout slogans when surrounding Taiwan’s parliament during a protest to demand the government to mend current referendum law in Taipei April 10, 2015.
Movement”, which saw demonstrators occupy parliament for more than three weeks in a move that shook warming relations with Beijing.
Protesters linked hands and shouted slogans urging the government to “return power to the people” as they circled the parliament in Taipei in the latest show of opposition to increasing mainland influence.
Fears that China is extending its control over Taiwan have been growing after a thaw in relations under current President Ma Ying-jeou, whose Beijing-friendly Kuomintang party suffered its worst ever showing in local polls in November.
Ma last week said ties with China have “returned to normal” since protesters took over parliament last year to show their anger at a planned trade pact they argued placed the island under Beijing’s sway. [FULL STORY]
Police said around 1,000 people had turned out for Friday’s protest, which came after hundreds rallied last month to mark the beginning of the occupation and several other wildfire demonstrations in recent weeks.
“I think Taiwan society has changed after the ‘Sunflower Movement’ and its impact continues to spread. I believe this force of change will help Taiwan move towards a positive direction,” said Huang Kuo-chang, a scholar and prominent leader of the movement.
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