The Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China (Taiwan) passed the controversial Parliament Reform Act, sparking ongoing debates. Following days of protests by the public under the “Bluebird Action” initiative that garnered responses from citizens in 15 counties and cities across Taiwan, overseas “Bluebird” supporters also rallied together to crowdfund online, reaching their goal. On June 4th (local time in the United States), they plan to rent an advertisement space at the New York Times Square to voice for Taiwan, showcasing the unity of the Taiwanese people in defending the hard-earned freedom and democracy.
After the presidential, vice-presidential, and legislative elections in January yielded a situation where the opposition parties dominated the ruling party, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) cooperated in proposing amendments to parliamentary powers before President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration on May 20. This move stirred controversy as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) utilized tactics such as named votes, repeated votes, repeat reviews of the entire bill, and delaying proceedings to demand reconsideration of the legislation. In a marathon series of votes lasting 4 days and 4 nights on the 17th, 21st, 24th, and 28th, significant bills on the presidential state of the nation address, contempt of parliament, parliamentary hearing rights, and investigation powers were passed on the third reading. This outcome triggered a wave of protests from the public.
Over 50 civic groups in Taiwan initiated the “Bluebird Action” to urge people nationwide to protest outside the Legislative Yuan. The bluebird symbol became a logo for the civic groups’ resistance, symbolizing the Qingdao East Road next to the Legislative Yuan. Following the passage of the Parliamentary Powers Exercise Act on the 28th, civic groups including the Economic Democracy Union held a press conference highlighting the undeniable presence of elements linked to the Chinese Communist Party in this situation. At the gathering, the assembled citizens collectively symbolically pushed a white ball, featuring messages like “Reject Chinese intervention” and “Citizens uphold democracy, restart social dialogue,” alongside the bluebird representing freedom and hope, toward the Legislative Yuan, amplifying the people’s discontent within the parliament.
Lai Chung-chiang, the convener of the Economic Democracy Union, emphasized the need to strengthen democratic defense against external interventions. He mentioned that civic groups would align with the upcoming activities on June 4th to further emphasize the importance of defending democracy and call on all citizens to jointly uphold Taiwan’s freedom and democracy. He presented six response actions: requesting the Executive Yuan for a reconsideration, petitioning for a constitutional interpretation, demanding a meeting with the Legislative Yuan’s president to discuss parliamentary democratic order, urging grassroots democratic dialogues between local civic groups and KMT constituency voters, establishing a New Taipei task force for the Taiwan Civil Front, and forming alliances between local civic groups and small parties under the banner of “Advancing New Taipei, social dialogues.”
The “Bluebird Action” in Taiwan has erupted nationwide, with over 100,000 people gathering outside the Legislative Yuan on the 24th and demonstrations in 9 counties and cities, escalating to protests linked in 15 counties and cities across Taiwan on the 28th, attracting attention from overseas Taiwanese communities.
In a Facebook post, Xie Caiting, using the pseudonym “Silicon Valley Delectable Housewife” in San Francisco, expressed support for the Bluebird Action, advocating for more democracy and transparency. She stated, “Support the Bluebird Action. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I oppose the abuse of power by the parliament! Support Taiwanese democracy, keep going.” Xie Caiting initiated a fundraising campaign to display a video about Taiwan at the New York Times Square on June 4th, which quickly achieved its funding goal, aiming to show the world the unwavering determination of Taiwan for democracy and resilience.
The fundraising project outlined that the New York Times Square campaign is the overseas Bluebird Action’s inaugural initiative, demonstrating the unity of Taiwan people both at home and abroad and friends concerned about democracy in safeguarding Taiwan’s democracy, with the hopes to inspire more friends who love Taiwan and are willing to contribute globally. The campaigners expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support. Advertisements are currently being negotiated in the UK, Japan, and France, with details to be promptly disclosed on Keep Taiwan Free once confirmed.
According to the Central News Agency, Xie Caiting, known as “Silicon Valley Delectable Housewife,” serves as the media contact person for this fundraising project. She mentioned that the unique aspect of this initiative lies in everyone autonomously gathering their strength without any organizational framework. Operating under the name of overseas “Bluebird supporters,” people mainly connect through Line and Threads.
She explained that discussions about the technical aspects and presentation of the fundraising website were held only on the evening of the 29th, in order to overcome time constraints, clear payments, and taxes by the 30th. Originally, they asked overseas elders for assistance in preliminary funds, but they quickly reached their goal without any advance borrowing from these elders. Some overseas Taiwanese elders even offered direct donations without repayment, but the group felt that the spirit of crowdfunding should be maintained so that individuals worldwide who care about Taiwan’s freedom and democracy could contribute. Ultimately, more than 1100 individuals supported the cause, with the majority making small donations.
Xie Caiting referred to this initiative as a “relay race,” with the hope of expanding the action to various corners of the world. Choosing Times Square as the initial location aims to showcase Taiwan not only to its compatriots but also to a global audience. On June 4th, all day long Eastern time, the Times Square billboard will display a 30-second video every 5 minutes to convey the values of Taiwanese democracy and unwavering beliefs. Additionally, she mentioned that after work hours that evening there will be a gathering at Times Square with people holding signs to collectively voice overseas, ensuring that Taiwan is not isolated in its stance.
Furthermore, the FAPA Northern California chapter director Ho Pei-chen remarked on the global reach of the event, stating that in the San Francisco Bay Area, students from Stanford University expressed concerns about Taiwan’s situation through activities. She criticized the Kuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party for forcibly expanding parliament’s powers, infringing on Taiwan’s democracy, to which overseas Taiwanese strongly object, prepared for a prolonged struggle.
Ten years ago, Mr. Chen, who participated in the Sunflower Student Movement and is working in the technology sector in the Bay Area, expressed mixed emotions upon hearing the news. While he wondered why similar events were reoccurring, he was comforted by the fact that many shared his beliefs and stood firm for the values of freedom and democracy. This sense of unity and resilience in upholding democratic principles made him proud to be a Taiwanese.
Mr. Chen, who studied at Cheng Kung University, mentioned that even though he cannot physically return to the Qingdao East Road, he feels connected to Taiwan despite being abroad. The land where he was born and raised remains close to his heart, and he continues to monitor developments in Taiwan, ready to offer his support, regardless of the country’s circumstances.