Thousands rally in Taiwan for president to quit

CHANGHUA, Taiwan (Reuters) – Thousands of people rallied in
central Taiwan on Sunday, marking the third straight weekend of
protests calling for President Chen Shui-bian to resign over
scandals involving his family and senior aides.

The demonstration in the city of Changhua, roughly 150 km
(90 miles) south of Taipei, came a day after several thousands
of people gathered in the capital to support Chen, whose public
approval ratings have sunk to all-time lows amid relentless
pressure from the opposition.

Holding placards, honking air horns and waving Taiwan
flags, the crowd on Sunday chanted slogans for Chen to quit.

Members of the main opposition Nationalist Party kicked
balls to knock down drawings of Chen’s family members,
including wife Wu Shu-chen and son-in-law Chao Chien-ming.

Wu has been accused of accepting millions of Taiwan dollars
of department store gift vouchers. Chao has been detained since
late May on suspicion of insider trading, and prosecutors last
week rejected his lawyers’ second appeal for bail.

Chao and Wu have denied any wrongdoing.

Arguing that Chen is not fit to rule, the Nationalists and
their allies launched a so-called “recall” motion in parliament
last week which would authorize a referendum on whether or not
Chen should remain in office.

According to Taiwan law, Tuesday will be the last day for
Chen to respond to the motion.

(Additional reporting by Lee Chyen Yee in Taipei)