http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/index.html
*Chen calls for Taiwan's re-entry to UN* Tens of thousands of Taiwanese have staged a demonstration, supporting the president's call for a referendum to again seek UN membership. Taiwan police say more than 100,000 people took part in a march on Saturday in the southern city of Kaohsiung, where the political base of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party is located. President Chen Shui-bian led the demonstration organized by the ruling party to support his bid to rejoin the United Nations. At a rally after the march, Mr Chen called for a referendum to ask voters to support or oppose his attempt to re-enter the United Nations under the name of Taiwan. The president plans to hold the referendum in March, next year, to coincide with the presidential election. The opposition Nationalist Party also organized a march in the central city of Tai-chung on Saturday, calling for a similar referendum. They insist that Taiwan should rejoin the United Nations with the "one China" concept. China has been denouncing the referendum proposed by the ruling party as an attempt to separate Taiwan from China. The United States is also opposing the referendum on the grounds that it will change the status quo in the Strait of Taiwan. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
