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Taiwanese, Tibetans rally against China
More than 100 Taiwanese and Tibetans demonstrated against Beijing's crackdown on protests in Tibet, chanting slogans against Chinese President Hu Jintao.
More than 100 Taiwanese and Tibetans demonstrated in Taipei on Sunday against Beijing's crackdown on protests in Tibet, chanting slogans against Chinese President Hu Jintao.
"Who is the killer? Hu Jintao!" "Shame!" "Shame!" "Hu Jintao!" the protesters shouted, ending their two-day hunger strike in downtown Taipei.
The group, waving the old Tibetan flag, set out candles on the ground which spelled the words, "Free Tibet".
Tsegyam, the Taiwan representative of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, hailed the demonstrators for their moral support.
"Taiwan is a free and democratic country, and any support of Tibetans' bid to press for freedom is greatly appreciated," Tsegyam replied when asked about Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou's threat to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
Ma, who won the presidency in a landslide election win on March 22, has called for international pressure on China to open talks with the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing blames for orchestrating the protests that later turned violent.
Ma's comments are unusually firm -- his opposition Kuomintang party wants closer ties with Beijing and he has vowed as president to sign a peace treaty with China, which still claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan.
