Taiwan police arrest 30 student protesters

Twenty-six years after Wu’er Kaixi stood alongside young comrades to stare down People’s Liberation Army tanks in Tiananmen Square, the Chinese democracy activist has his sights set on winning a seat in Taiwan’s parliament.

Taiwan split from China in 1949 after a civil war, but China sees it as part of its territory awaiting reunification – by force if necessary.

Taiwan says it had filed a protest with China over a military exercise it slammed for portraying the island as a target, despite improved ties between the 2 former bitter rivals.

“Compromise is not the way forward and patience is simply a delay tactic”. According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, a defense ministry spokesman, Lou Shou-he, said that simulating such an attack is “unacceptable to the Taiwanese people and the worldwide community”.

Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is a front-runner in the presidential race and, if elected, is expected to adopt a less conciliatory position toward China than incumbent President Massachusetts Ying-jeou. Taiwan, meanwhile, has blossomed into a flourishing democracy with lively electoral politics and an outspoken media. He has tried to return to China on four occasions, but was denied entry each time.

Speaking to reporters today, he said he would push for Taiwan to amend its constitution so that it clearly reflected mainland China and Taiwan as separate entities.

“It may not be the one solution that pleases Beijing but we also know that what pleases Beijing the most is simple: surrender, submission”, he said.

Last month Wu’er and Chang Liao Wan-chien, the DPP contender vying for the same district legislative seat in Taichung, agreed to run campaigns on policy issues and no mudslinging.

Police released 30 protesters, majority students, Friday who were held after they broke into the education ministry in the capital Taipei to oppose “China-centric” changes to the school curriculum.

Wu’er voiced support for the students, calling youths the “future driving force” of society.

Increasing fears in Taiwan over Beijing’s influence sparked a three-week occupation of the parliament last year by student-led protesters opposing a trade pact with the mainland.

He had announced in December that he would stand in a by-election in Taichung, but later abandoned the plan.