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Taiwanese to rally over China law Taiwanese rally ahead of election
(about 11 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take part in rival political rallies across Taiwan. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in rival political rallies across Taiwan.
What is known as Super Sunday is the last chance for big weekend rallies before polls to elect a new president. It was the last chance for big weekend rallies before the island votes for a new president on 22 March.
The events, organised by the two main political parties, are also aimed at expressing public opposition to China's anti-secession law. The events - organised by the two main political parties - were also aimed at expressing public opposition to China's anti-secession law.
Passed three years ago, it legalises the use of force against Taiwan if the island formally declares independence. The law, passed in 2005, legalises the use of force against Taiwan if it formally declares independence.
China regards the island as part of its territory.China regards the island as part of its territory.
'Carnival'
Government officials have warned that the violent events in the past few days in Tibet have implications for Taiwan - showing Beijing would not give up the use of force against the island to resolve disputes.Government officials have warned that the violent events in the past few days in Tibet have implications for Taiwan - showing Beijing would not give up the use of force against the island to resolve disputes.
The events mark a big push by both political parties to rally their supporters and woo the undecided ahead of next week's presidential election. Massive crowds turned out as political rallies and marches were staged across the island.
The rallies are taking place at roughly the same time across the island. They took on a carnival-like atmosphere - with people wearing baseball caps and T-shirts with political slogans.
In its carefully choreographed event, the governing Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, is hoping to mobilise more than a million supporters, asking them to gather at designated points so that they form two separate lines along the island's east and west coast. Super Sunday, as it has been called, marks a big push by both political parties to rally their supporters on the last weekend before the election.
At 1514 local time - symbolising the date, 14 March, when China passed its anti-secession law - they will begin walking. In its carefully-choreographed event, the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) asked people to gather at designated points and to walk anti-clockwise, highlighting the party's campaign slogan to "Reverse the Tide" - to turn back their political fortunes and that of their candidate, who has been trailing in opinion polls.
They will move in an anticlockwise direction, highlighting the party's campaign slogan Reverse the Tide - to turn back their political fortunes and that of their candidate, who has been trailing in opinion polls. The party's presidential candidate, Frank Hsieh, attacked his rival's plan to establish a cross-strait common market with China, saying it could lead to job losses and other social problems.
For its part, the opposition KMT or Kuomintang, are also hoping to mobilise more than a million supporters, holding rallies in every city and county around the island. He said he and his party stood for the protection of Taiwan's core values - which was important if the island was to avoid the fate of Tibet, which had seen peaceful protests violently put down by the Chinese military in recent days.
One of the aims of their rally is also to show public opposition to China's anti-secession law. For its part, the opposition KMT, or Kuomintang, held its own rallies in every city and county.
The threats posed by the law have taken on added significance in recent days, following the use of force by Chinese troops to quell protests in Tibet. Its presidential candidate, Ma Ying-jeou, speaking in southern Tainan, attacked the government's record over the past eight years, promising he would lead an economic revival.
Both presidential candidates have condemned the violence.
And government officials here issued strong statements, warning that the events in Tibet showed that China would never give up the option of using force against Taiwan to resolve cross-strait disputes.