Protesters oppose 'Taiwan independence'

More than 100 people rallied in front of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington DC on Sunday, expressing opposition to "Taiwan independence" and calling for peace.

Most of those at the rally were Chinese Americans who live in the district or who traveled from Philadelphia.

The protesters held signs, chanting "one China only", "Taiwan is part of China", "No war, no crisis across Taiwan Straits", "'Taiwan independence' against US' national interests". They waved Chinese and American flags.

Eighteen major Chinese associations participated, including the Joint Association of Overseas Chinese Associations, the Washington Chinese Community Alliance, and the Joint Conference of Overseas Chinese Associations of Greater Philadelphia, as well as some overseas Chinese and Chinese Americans.

Lin Minhua, chairman of the United Chinese Community Organizations of the US, told China Daily that the rally was to let the Taipei office realize that "Taiwan is part of China" is a bottom line not subject to provocation.

"The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office keeps provoking the bottom line, which makes the Chinese overseas feel uneasy," said Lin. "We are here today to express the strong determination to resolutely oppose the 'Taiwan independence' and maintain peace in the Taiwan Straits and to resolutely support China's great cause of peaceful reunification."

"The stubborn Taiwan independence activists should be severely punished," Wu Huiqiu, chairman of the board of the Washington China Unification Promoting Association, told China Daily.

Liu Jiahao, chair of the Chinese Students Association at Temple University, told China Daily that he participated in the rally to express the voices of young Chinese students who oppose division and promote peace.

"We discussed it with our classmates from Taiwan. We are all worried about the current tense situation in the Taiwan Straits. We want our voice of peace to reach across the US and the world," said Liu.

The protesters delivered an open letter to the Taipei office during the rally.

"'Taiwan independence' is not in the national interest of the United States, and President Biden and the political class have repeatedly and publicly reiterated that they do not support 'Taiwan independence'. 'Taiwan independence' is the biggest troublemaker and saboteur of US-China relations and is the cause and culprit of war and chaos in the Taiwan Straits," the letter said.

"We must firmly support the one-China policy pursued by successive US administrations, resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' and allow the US-China relationship to resume healthy development and friendly relations between the two peoples to continue."

Two US Navy warships sailed through the Taiwan Straits on Sunday, Reuters reported, the first such operation since tensions were heightened between the US and China over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to Taiwan.

Pelosi visited the island in early August despite China's firm opposition. Beijing then took a series of strong countermeasures, including military exercises around Taiwan.

Following Pelosi's trip, five other groups of US lawmakers traveled to Taiwan one week later.

US Senator Marsha Blackburn, a member of the Senate Commerce and Armed Services committees, visited Taiwan on Thursday.