TENS OF thousands of Taiwanese seeking independence for the self-ruled island took to the streets at the weekend to demonstrate against mainland China, a sign that not everyone in Taiwan backs President Ma Ying-jeou's softly, softly approach towards Beijing, writes Clifford Coonanin Beijing.
The anti-China rally in Taipei at the weekend, which was organised by the opposition DPP, and featured the pro-independence ex-president Chen Shui-bian, follows an attack on a mainland Chinese official last week.
The demonstration comes just nine days before a planned visit by Chen Yunlin, Beijing's top negotiator on Taiwanese affairs. His deputy, Zhang Mingqing, was assaulted on October 21st by pro-independence supporters in the southern city of Tainan, the stronghold of the DPP, during a private visit.
While there are no official relations between Beijing and Taipei, the two sides are expected to use the informal Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits to discuss expanding a programme of direct flights and food safety.
China sees Taiwan as an inalienable part of its territory that it has vowed to take back by force if it tries to declare independence.
Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist KMT (Kuomintang) forces retreated to the island in 1949 during a civil war with Mao Zedong's Communists. The current KMT administration, led by Mr Ma, favours a more conciliatory approach to Beijing and wants to encourage closer ties.
However, the previous government seriously antagonised Beijing with its pro-independence messages. The rally, which organisers say was attended by 600,000 people, shows that Mr Chen still has a lot of residual influence in Taiwan.
An investigation into allegations of money laundering and embezzlement against Mr Chen is ongoing. Taipei police authorities put the turnout at about 180,000.
Relations between the island and China have been warming since Mr Ma took office on May 20th.
The administration has arranged a series of high-profile meetings between leaders from both sides of the Straits, started regular non-stop weekend flights and made it easier for mainland tourists to visit.
The opposition marchers in Taipei accused the government of not taking a recent food safety scare in China over tainted dairy products seriously enough, in a bid to avoid angering Beijing.
The demonstrators said the government was making too many concessions on trade at the expense of Taiwanese autonomy.
Wearing the trademark green colours of the opposition, they shouted slogans saying "Oppose toxic products, defend Taiwan" and "Don't sell out Taiwan".