Pelosi trip stirs anger at rally in Washington

More than 100 people rallied in front of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, DC, on Sunday, expressing opposition to so-called "Taiwan independence "and calling for peace.

Most people at the rally were Chinese Americans who live in the district or had traveled from Philadelphia.

The protesters held signs chanting "one China only", "Taiwan is part of China", "No war, no crisis across Taiwan Straits", "'Taiwan independence' against US' national interests". They also waved Chinese and US flags.

Eighteen major Chinese associations participated, including the Joint Association of Overseas Chinese Associations, the Washington Chinese Community Alliance and the Greater Philadelphia Overseas Chinese Association, as well as some overseas Chinese and Chinese Americans.

Lin Minhua, chairman of the United Chinese Community Organizations of the United States, told China Daily that the rally was to let the Taipei office realize that "Taiwan is part of China" is a bottom line not subject to provocation.

"The Taipei Economic and Cultural office keeps provoking the bottom line, which makes the Chinese overseas feel uneasy," Lin said.

"The stubborn Taiwan independence activists should be severely punished," Wu Huiqiu, chairman of the board of the Washington China Unification Promoting Association, told China Daily.

Liu Jiahao, chair of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Temple University, told China Daily that he participated in the rally to represent the voices of young Chinese students who oppose division and promote peace.

The protesters also delivered an open letter to the Taipei office during the rally.

"'Taiwan independence' is not in the national interest of the United States," the letter stated.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island in early August despite China's firm opposition. Beijing then took a series of strong countermeasures, including military exercises around Taiwan.

Following Pelosi's trip, five other groups of US lawmakers traveled to Taiwan one week later.