Super Sunday

Its been dubbed Super Sunday - the last chance for big weekend rallies before the island votes for a new president.

Both parties were pulling out all the stops to get the crowds: aiming each to mobilise more than a million supporters island-wide. The governing DPP asked people to gather at designated points along the length of the island and to walk anti-clockwise, highlighting its campaign slogan to Reverse the Tide – to turn back their political fortunes and that of their candidate, Frank Hsieh who has been trailing in opinion polls. Mr Hsieh attacked his rival’s plan to establish an economic common market with China, warning it could cause social unrest and job losses.

satirical sketch - showing the "Trojan horse" - the likely impact of Taiwan's opening up to Chinese goods. Its also a pun on the name "Ma" - which means horse in Chinese.

shoddy China-made goods come under fire

Frank Hsieh on a campaign truck

Mr Hsieh said he and his party stood for the protection of Taiwan’s core values –which was important if the island was to avoid the fate of Tibet, which had seen peaceful protests violently put down by the Chinese military in recent days.

For its part, the opposition KMT or Kuomintang, held its own rallies in every city and county.

young kmt supporters

Its presidential candidate, Ma Ying-jeou, speaking in southern Tainan - and speaking in Taiwanese dialect - attacked the government’s record over the past eight years, promising he would lead an economic revival.

kmt supporters
Organisers of both events said they were partly aimed at showing public opposition to China’s anti secession law, passed three years ago, which authorises force against Taiwan if it formally declares independence.

The threats posed by the law have taken on added significance in recent days, following the use of force by Chinese troops to quell protests in Tibet. Both presidential candidates have condemned the violence. And government officials here issued strong statements, warning that the events in Tibet showed that China would never give up the option of using force against Taiwan to resolve cross strait disputes.