The Legislative Yuan’s Procedure Committee of the Republic of China approved the agenda proposed by the Kuomintang caucus for discussion on December 17th. On the 20th, the parliament will handle three highly controversial amendment bills, including the “Recall of Public Officials Act”. Several civic groups launched the “Winter Qing-Niao in Taipei, Holding Powerful Legislators Accountable Meeting” action tonight (18th), putting forward four demands and calling on the public to gather and protest against the Kuomintang legislators’ push for these bills.
The Procedure Committee of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China passed the agenda for the session on the 20th. The controversial amendment bills proposed by the Chinese Nationalist Party legislators, including the “Recall of Public Officials Act”, “Constitutional Lawsuit Act” (two cases), and amendments to the “Financial Act”, were all included in the top four items for discussion in the session. The Kuomintang caucus stated their determination to push these three bills through the third reading in the session on the 20th, while the Democratic Progressive Party caucus urged the Kuomintang to think twice considering the significance of these bills.
Groups like the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union initiated the “Winter Qing-Niao in Taipei, Holding Powerful Legislators Accountable Meeting” outside the Kuomintang Central Headquarters and started the protest activities at 6:30 pm tonight. Human rights activist Lee Ming-che, who was detained by the Chinese government for five years on charges of “subverting state power”, internet personality Ba-Jiong, rapper “Hokkien Wolf” Chen Bo-Yuan, Secretary-General Gan Zhi-Yi of the Taiwan Youth Legal Association, and Savungaz from the Taiwan Indigenous Youth Public Participation Association all attended to voice their support and spoke on stage.
The organizers stated that the event would end around 9:30 pm. Despite it being a weekday requiring people to work or attend school, and with the bone-chilling night winds, over 6,000 citizens still showed up to express their discontent, reflecting Taiwanese citizens’ dissatisfaction with the deliberate chaos created in the parliament by the Chinese Nationalist Party since February.
Chinese Nationalist Party Chairman Chu Li-lun stated today that the party will not be afraid or retreat, and will continue to advance for fairness and justice, urging everyone to cheer for the Kuomintang legislators. Lee Yan-xiu, chairperson of the Kuomintang’s Information and Culture Department, said that the Kuomintang will always treat people’s gatherings and parades with respect. Kuomintang spokesperson Yang Zhi-yu stated that they respect the rights of assembly and freedom of speech and hope that the participants of the protest in front of the Kuomintang headquarters can “have a good time”.
The Chinese Nationalist Party’s youth group set up projection screens, sound equipment, and inflated pigs with slogans like “Democratic Progressive Party Job Fair” in front of the party headquarters. To prevent conflicts and maintain order in the vicinity, the Taipei City police deployed 20 officers to ensure the safety of the event.