Expel the Republic of China in-exile from Taiwan was the message several hundred demonstrators delivered to the American Institute in Taiwan. Spirits were high despite a light drizzle and flags, signs and banners were in profusion.
Coordinating a coalition of groups and individuals seeking a Taiwanese nation was Roger Lin of the Formosa Nation Legal Strategy Association. Lin called on the United States to supervise a transitional government upon the expulsion of the Republic of China referring to U.S. obligations under the San Francisco Peace Treaty.
Matsui Mitshuiko, Vice-President of Friends of Taiwan Independence from Osaka, Japan, joined with Lin in urging action by the United States.
“We feel that we, as Japanese, are obliged to help the Taiwanese in their fight for independence. Japan gave up its claim over Taiwan, but we did not give it to any other country. Therefore, we Japanese absolutely support the Taiwanese to found their own independent country.”
Lin has previously organized similar events at the AIT for the past four years and made a security watch list for this year’s event. The Taipei police notified the AIT to expect 200 protestors and the Institute promptly posted an advisory on its website warning American citizens to stay away from the demonstration.
Ranks of ROC police kept a close watch on the peaceful gathering. One of the speakers was Nieco Tsai, a Taiwanese-American who also organized a weekly vigil for Taiwan outside the Los Angeles federal building back in the United States. The Los Angeles demonstration is in its fourth month .
Lin is also the convener this weekend of an organizational gathering of the Taiwan Civil Government which seeks to develop a transition from occupation by the Chinese Nationalist government to an independent Taiwanese government.
The District of Columbia U.S. Court of Appeals ruled last year in Lin vs. United States of America that the Taiwanese people were “stateless” and that the United States was responsible for the “strategic ambiguity” that keeps Taiwan from a full place in the international community.
Roger Lin sees the development of a Taiwan Civil Government as the logical next step to self-determination but recognizes that only the United States can keep China from exploiting a transition period.
“It’s the United States that brought the ROC government to Taiwan, so the United States should take the responsibility to expel it.”
Source: Taiwan Policy Examiner - Michael Richardson
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