Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party marked its 40th anniversary on September 19 with a concert on Taipei's Beiping East Road, which ended with President and party chair 
Lai Ching-te joining the crowd in singing "Gods Protect Taiwan." In his closing speech, Lai said the party's founders had the courage to face authoritarianism and "this generation should have the resolve to face a great power," the Central News Agency reported. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and former party chairs Frank Hsieh and You Si-kun were among the attendees at the event.
What did the president say? This year marks 40 years since the party's founding and 30 years of direct presidential elections, and the concert was meant to honour predecessors who resisted authoritarian rule without fear of arrest, prison or death, Lai said, in remarks carried by the Central News Agency. Founded under martial law, the party exists for the people of Taiwan, he said, and its founders broke through martial law and the bans on new parties and newspapers and pushed for a fully re-elected legislature and direct presidential elections. "The song is not finished; in the next stage, the ones singing are us," Lai said, calling on this generation to secure Taiwan's sovereignty with firm will and to maintain and deepen democracy.
What did he say about the local elections? Lai said Yilan nominee Lin Kuo-chang, Miaoli nominee Chen Pin-an and Nantou nominee Wen Shih-cheng had not originally been party members but were invited to join and run, and that the party's slate includes seven lawyers and nine women. Ending his speech by citing pressure from China and turmoil in the Legislative Yuan, he asked the public to stand up again, as in 2004's "Hand in Hand to Protect Taiwan," and to back the party's candidates.
Who else took the stage? Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang said Taiwan and the party had never chosen shortcuts, from the democracy movement under martial law and industrial development to today's defence self-reliance and drones, in remarks the Central News Agency carried. New Taipei candidate Su Chiao-hui said seeing Chen Chu in a video shown at the concert reminded her of growing up at democracy-movement rallies, and called herself "the second generation of democratic politics." Among the candidates who also sang on stage, Hsinchu County candidate Cheng Chao-fang performed "Taiwan Flower" in Hakka, Taiwanese, Amis and Mandarin.
Figures referenced: Lai Ching-te. — JudgeMarket.
