Chinese envoy Zhang Mingqing was attacked by Taiwanese pro-independence protesters today. From the BBC:
The attack on Mr Zhang was shown on television news broadcasts across Taiwan, and correspondents say the images are likely to inflame tensions between the pro-independence and pro-Beijing camps.
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing was on a private visit to a Confucian temple in Tainan, Taiwan when he was physically and verbally attacked by pro-Taiwan supporters. The Taipei Times has a detailed description of what happened:
TV footage showed Tainan City Councilor Wang Ding-wu (王定宇) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) shouting “Taiwan wants independence” and “Taiwan is not part of China” during a shoving match with Zhang, who fell to the ground, losing his glasses. But it was not clear if Zhang tripped or was pushed down.
Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing loses his glasses and falls as he is jostled during a scuffle with pro-Taiwan protesters during a visit to the Confucius Temple in Tainan yesterday.
A protester wearing a green headband and black T-shirt with green letters and characters reading “Taiwan Team” and “Save Taiwan” then climbed onto the roof of the car Zhang was in and began jumping up and down. He then dropped to the hood of the car and began banging on it.
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The Presidential Office, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄), Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) and Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) all expressed regret over the incident at the temple and condemned the harassment and violent behavior.
Zhang, who was part of a 21-member Chinese academic delegation attending the 2008 Cross-Strait Academic Symposium on Mass Communications and Image Arts at Tainan National University of the Arts, experienced a similar welcome yesterday before he was scheduled to give a speech at the university.
Read also: Do You Believe In Wang Ding-yu Or Your Lying’ Eyes? in the ESWN blog.
