海角大神

Mass protests erupted in Taiwan Friday in defiance of military and political pressure from Beijing, as China waged a large-scale military exercise aimed at testing its ability to forcibly control the island.

Tens of thousands of Taiwanese poured into the streets of Taipei on Friday chanting slogans against what protesters called anti-democratic, China-backed legislative reforms by the island鈥檚 Beijing-leaning political party.

鈥淐hina has been threatening us for decades,鈥� says Jenny Yeh, a self-described housewife from Taipei. 鈥淥f course I worry, but worry can鈥檛 save us. We need to learn to save ourselves.鈥�

In a second day of 鈥渏oint strike drills鈥� targeting Taiwan, China on Friday dispatched scores of People鈥檚 Liberation Army (PLA) jets and bombers and more than a dozen naval and coast guard ships in what Beijing called a 鈥渨arning鈥� to the new administration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who was sworn in Monday.

Beijing said the drills to the north, south, and east of Taiwan were aimed at demonstrating the PLA鈥檚 ability to conduct 鈥減olitical strikes鈥� against Taiwan independence strongholds, while also blockading the island and choking off its exports, energy imports, and navy.聽

The PLA also launched mock missile strikes on Taiwan, and some of its jets reportedly carried live missiles. Taiwan scrambled jets and placed its armed forces on alert in response to the PLA drills.

China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has vowed to bring the self-governing democratic island of 24 million people under Beijing鈥檚 control, by force, if necessary.

In his inauguration address on Monday,聽Dr. Lai called for China to end its military and political intimidation of Taiwan. He pledged to 鈥渘either yield nor provoke鈥� China鈥檚 leaders, urging peace and proposing dialogue and exchanges with the mainland. In response, China鈥檚 Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called Dr. Lai 鈥渄espicable鈥� and accused him of asserting 鈥渁 more radical and adventurous stance on 鈥楾aiwan independence.鈥欌��

In electing Dr. Lai, Taiwan鈥檚 voters resisted blunt warnings from Beijing, which cast the January presidential election as a choice between war and peace. Dr. Lai鈥檚 victory gave his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) an unprecedented third term. Polls show that Taiwan鈥檚 voters overwhelmingly prefer maintaining the status quo of the de-facto independent island鈥檚 relations with China.聽

Concern over China鈥檚 direct and indirect pressure tactics fueled the turnout of an estimated 100,000 protesters in Taipei on Friday to decry legislation put forth by the opposition Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang (KMT), which has historically supported Taiwan鈥檚 unification with China. Beijing backed the KMT presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih, who came in second, but whose party took the most seats in Taiwan鈥檚 parliament, the Legislative Yuan. (The KMT took 52 of the 113 total seats; the DPP took 51.)聽

Since the election, KMT legislators have been working aggressively to dismantle DPP policies. Together with a smaller opposition party, the Taiwan People鈥檚 Party, the KMT is seeking to speed through sweeping bills that would expand the power of the parliament and curtail Dr. Lai鈥檚 presidency.聽

The bills, if passed, could compel the head of state to report and undergo questioning by lawmakers, and also broaden the parliament鈥檚 investigative powers.

Protesters say the lack of proper deliberation over the controversial bills poses a threat to democracy.

鈥淣o debate means no democracy!鈥� the crowd of demonstrators chanted as their numbers swelled on Friday afternoon.

From retirees fanning themselves in the heat to uniformed high-school students waving sunflowers and mothers with children in tow, the demonstrators condemned the KMT, saying its bills risk undermining Taiwan鈥檚 democracy and doing Beijing鈥檚 bidding.

鈥淲e are fighting for our democracy,鈥� says Ms. Ko, a self-described full-time mother, shouting slogans in unison with a rally leader. She waves a sign in Chinese that reads 鈥渙ppose the black box鈥� 鈥� a reference to the KMT鈥檚 lack of transparency. 鈥淚 am 100 percent sure that what the KMT is doing has to do with the CCP [Chinese Communist Party]鈥� influence, she says.

Chung-chun Yang, a retired mathematics professor, agrees. 鈥淭he KMT is doing what the CCP wants,鈥� he says, referencing recent high-profile KMT delegations to China.聽

The ranks of protesters grew throughout the day, and people crowded the streets until midnight, when the legislative session adjourned for the day without the bills being passed.聽

鈥淭oday 鈥� tens of thousands 鈥� once again demonstrated the power of civil society,鈥� Dr. Lai said late Friday on social media. 鈥淭ogether, we will defend Taiwan鈥檚 democratic values,鈥� he said, urging the parliament to 鈥渁llow different opinions to be fully discussed.鈥�

People dispersed under a moonlit sky, with many saying they would return when the legislature resumes next week. 鈥淚 come to help people protest,鈥� says octogenarian and retired factory owner Yihung Lee, who came to Taipei from Kaohsiung City. 鈥淚 will be back on Tuesday.鈥�