Taiwan anti-Chen protests end with vigil

TAIPEI, Sep 15 (Reuters) Thousands of opposition activists pressing embattled Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian to resign said today they planned more protests in the capital after ending a week-long sit-in outside his office.

The round-the-clock demonstration against Chen was due to end with a candlelight vigil in downtown Taipei, but protest organisers said they will regroup at the main railway station tomorrow to keep up the pressure on the scandal-plagued president.

''Society has been very moved. A lot of people have come from far away. And despite days of rain, the number of people gets bigger and bigger,'' said Chang Fu-chung, spokesman for the ''Million Person Depose Bian'' movement.

''Our major achievement is the sit-in's infectiousness among the people,'' Chang said.

Chen, who activists accused of corruption amid economic problems affecting the nation, has said that he would not step down because of the demonstrations.

Chen's Democratic Progressive Party has planned a 10,000-strong rally in his support tomorrow at the spot where his opponents gathered this week. Chen may attend the rally, his spokesman said earlier in the week.

Presidential office spokesman David Lee urged anti-Chen demonstrators to leave the area by tomorrow as required by law.

''The president respects people's right to demonstrate, but you need to respect law and order.'' Chen, elected in 2000 and 2004, has rejected allegations of corruption involving his family and aides.

Former DPP chairman Shih Ming-teh, who is leading the campaign against Chen, said he was considering whether to call for an island-wide work stoppage to put more pressure on the president.

A union representing 2,900 workers from Mega Bank, the financial arm of government-run Mega Financial Holdings Co. would call on its members to stop work if such a strike is called, said spokesman Lin Chung-hsiang.

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