Despite pressure from Beijing and local tourism operators, the Kaohsiung City Government yesterday said a documentary on prominent Uighur independence activist Rebiya Kadeer would be screened at the upcoming Kaohsiung Film Festival as planned.

“The selection of the films at the festival was made by the film committee, an independent commission, months ago. We respect its decision,” said Hung Chih-kun (洪智坤), director of Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chu’s (陳菊) office.

The latest poll released by Global Views magazine yesterday showed that 59.6 percent of respondents were not satisfied with President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) performance, while 42.2 percent said they had reservations about the new Cabinet’s performance under Ma’s leadership.

Meanwhile, 42.9 percent of respondents said they have confidence in the new Cabinet, while Ma’s approval rate rose 5.3 percent last month to 28.2 percent, the poll by the magazine’s Survey Research Center showed.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday condemned China for intervening in the selection of films at the upcoming Kaohsiung Film Festival and voiced its support for the screening of a documentary on prominent Uighur independence activist Rebiya Kadeer.

“Film production, as a form of artistic expression, should be protected as part of freedom of expression without political intervention,” the party said in a press release. “The Taiwanese people have every right to freely choose which movies they would like to see without having to gain permission from the Chinese government in advance — and we will not tolerate the intervention of the Chinese government.”