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RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 6784
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001306 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2018 
TAGS: PGOV TW
SUBJECT: PAN-GREEN MORALE BOOSTED BY MARCH AND RALLY 
PROTESTING PRESIDENT MA'S POLICIES 
 
REF: A. TAIPEI 1298 
     ¶B. TAIPEI 1233 
 
Classified By: AIT Acting Director Robert S. Wang, 
Reasons: 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary: More than 50,000 enthusiastic pan-Green 
supporters joined a march and rally on August 30 to protest 
KMT President Ma Ying-jeou's economic and cross-Strait 
policies.  The event was timed to coincide approximately with 
the 100-day anniversary of the Ma administration, whose 
economic performance has been affected by the global 
downturn.  The Taiwan Society and the DPP kept the 
demonstration focused on Ma and his policies, and the event 
did not turn into a pro- or anti-Chen Shui-bian rally, as 
some had feared might happen.  The quite respectable turnout 
for the march and rally will boost pan-Green morale, which 
has been damaged by election defeats and scandals involving 
former President Chen and his family.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The march and rally -- &Outcry from the People8 
)- focused on three themes: improving the people's economic 
situation, protecting sovereignty, and passing sunshine laws. 
 In hot and humid weather, protesters marched along two 
different routes to the square in front of the Presidential 
Office, the location of choice for political rallies in 
Taiwan.  The rally featured a series of speakers and some 
musical performances, including popular rap performances by 
former DPP Government Spokesman Shieh Jhy-wey.  Speakers 
included DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen, whose remarks were 
brief, Deep Green elder Koo Kwang-ming, and some popular 
political commentators from television talk shows. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Some speakers and banners played off one of Ma,s 
well-known campaign slogans: &Mashang hao8 (things will 
improve immediately under Ma), changing the wording to 
&Mashang ku8 (things will immediately become difficult 
under Ma).  Apparently for the benefit of international 
journalists and onlookers, there were a fair number of signs 
in English and other foreign languages, including: "Warning, 
China is Coming;" "It is not OK to bash Taiwan;" "Stop 
Inflation;" and "Show Me the Money."  A popular T-shirt sold 
by the organization sponsoring the event read, "I am 
Taiwanese, I am not Chinese."  In addition to the more 
restrained placards printed by the sponsoring organization, 
there were many impromptu signs attacking Ma and calling for 
his resignation, some featuring crude language and pictures. 
 
 
¶4.  (C) Although the Taiwan Society, the sponsoring 
organization, claimed that 300,000 people participated in the 
event, this was clearly an exaggeration.  The police 
estimated the crowd at 50,000, not far from the 60,000 which 
Taiwan Society Secretary General Lo Chih-cheng told AIT he 
expected to turn out.  In addition to people from the Taipei 
area, more than 20,000 participants were bussed in from 
central and southern Taiwan.  The square where the rally was 
held was filled to overflowing, and people of all ages 
meandered or sat in nearby streets, some appearing to treat 
the rally as a social event or rally.  Although many people 
departed before the rally finally ended, a substantial crowd 
remained until the end. 
 
¶5.  (C) After a new scandal involving former President Chen 
Shui-bian and his family surfaced in mid-August (reftels), 
there was some concern that the August 30 event might turn 
into a pro- or anti-Chen rally.  Tsai Ing-wen told A/DIR on 
August 26 that she was asking organizers to avoid either 
supporting or attacking Chen.  The beleaguered Chen issued a 
statement on August 29 that tried to draw a link between the 
rally and his standing up against KMT legal and media attacks 
against him and his family.  Saying he would be with the 
demonstrators in spirit, Chen called for larger numbers of 
people to attend the Saturday rally.  In the event, there 
were only isolated instances of people expressing support 
for, or opposition to, Chen.  The rally remained focused on 
criticizing Ma and his policies, a theme on which all 
participants clearly agreed. 
 
 
TAIPEI 00001306  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Speaking at a luncheon with new members of the 
Examination Yuan two days after the rally on Sept. 1, Ma said 
he saw no great differences between the demands of the 
protesters and the government's policies, which he said were 
aimed at defending the country's sovereignty, invigorating 
the economy, and promoting sunshine policies.  According to 
Ma, the current rising prices of imports, including oil, had 
limited the government's ability to deliver immediate 
economic benefits.  Saying the government would make greater 
efforts to meet people's expectations, he asked the public 
for patience.  Not surprisingly, Taiwan Society Secretary Lo 
Chih-cheng rejected Ma's explanation. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (C) In the days leading up to the rally, some people had 
advised canceling the event, fearing that people would not 
show up because of the latest Chen scandal.  DPP officials 
told us, however, that following the initial shock of the new 
Chen scandals, people realized the distinction between Chen 
and the DPP and wanted to show their support for the party 
during a difficult period.  The turnout for the march and 
rally met the expectations of the organizers and will boost 
pan-Green morale.  The event was Tsai Ing-wen's first large 
political rally as DPP chairperson.  Although a bit tentative 
at the beginning of the march, Tsai warmed to the crowd and, 
departing from her past practice of using Mandarin, spoke 
mainly in Taiwanese, the lingua franca of Green rallies. 
Tsai received an enthusiastic welcome from the audience at 
the rally. 
WANG