Taiwanese March on Washington

In front of the White House

On Monday, 18 March 1996, Taiwanese Americans from all across the country converged in Washington, D.C. to protest the Chinese missile tests and military exercises near Taiwan. The protest activities began with a rally in front of the White House at 10:00 a.m. with speeches by Professor Chen Lung-chu and other Taiwanese dignitaries. Here are some pictures:

Professor Chen Lung-chu addressing the crowd

Cheering crowd at Lafayette Square

Down with Jiang Zemin

Effigy of Chinese generals

The group appealed to President Clinton and the U.S. Congress to express America's grave concern by taking the following actions:

1. Condemn the Chinese aggression, provocation and recklessness;
2. Demand that China cease all military exercises, including missile testing, off the coast of Taiwan;
3. Dispatch the battle groups U.S.S. Independence and Nimitz through the Taiwan Strait;
4. Accelerate the delivery of F-16 fighters to Taiwan and make available appropriate defense weapons, such as anti-missile systems, to Taiwan;
5. Sponsor United Nations membership for Taiwan;
6. Revoke most-favored-nation (MFN) status for China.

March through Washington

The crowd then wound its way through downtown Washington in a mile-long parade along Pennsylvania Avenue, Independence Avenue, past the Washington Monument and along the Mall to Capitol Hill. Along the way, they chanted "One Taiwan, One China", "China, hands off Taiwan", "China, out of Tibet", "Recognize Taiwan, Taiwan Independence", and "Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China."

"Formosa Forever", marching through Washington,

"China, Hands off Taiwan", in front of the Washington Monument,

Young demonstrator:"One Taiwan, One China."

"Recognize Taiwan Independence" in front of Capitol Hill.

On Capitol Hill

They gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Hill, overlooking the Mall, and in the distance the symbol of American independence, the Washington Monument. Here they heard speeches from U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell, and Congressmen Matt Salmon, Sherrod Brown, Peter Deutsch, Robert Torricelli, and several Taiwanese dignitaries.

"China, Stay out of Taiwan's Elections."

Crowd in front of Capitol Hill, Washington Monument in the background,

"Thank you fellow Americans"

Raising the Taiwanese and American flags

To the Chinese Embassy

At 2:00 p.m., the crowd reassembled in front of the Chinese embassy on Connecticut Avenue to express their outrage to the Chinese representatives. They demanded the immediate cessation of all hostile actions toward Taiwan, and declared that the future of Taiwan is to be determined by the Taiwanese people themselves, without any outside intereference.

Taiwanese in front of Chinese Embassy

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Last updated on 18 March 1996