Protesters gesture during a demonstration calling for the resignation of Taiwan's "President" Chen Shui-bian, outside Taipei train station in Taipei October 10, 2006. [Reuters] A month-long campaign to oust Taiwan's embattled "president" Chen Shui-bian reached a climax yesterday as more than 1.5 million people gathered in Taipei to demand Chen's resignation for alleged corruption. As Chen spoke at a "national day" celebration ceremony, about 50 "legislators" from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party who had been invited onto the stage shouted "Down with A-Bian," using his nickname, and made the thumbs-down gesture. Several blocks away, hundreds of thousands of people, most wearing red shirts and hats to symbolize their opposition to Chen, rallied to demand he step down over a string of corruption scandals. "A-Bian Out," they roared. The month-long anti-Chen campaign was launched by Shih Ming-teh, Chen's former ally and former DPP chairman. "Chen Shui-bian must respond to the demands of the people," Shih said. Barbed wire barricades erected by police prevented the protesters from approaching the "presidential" complex. KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou said Chen should listen to the protesters. "Now that over 60 per cent of Taiwanese believe he's unfit to serve as 'president,' he must not continue to play dumb." Pressure has mounted on Chen to step down after he was questioned in August over alleged misuse of funds intended for "state" affairs. He has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to stay on until his second and final term ends in May 2008. (Agencies)

臺(tái)灣長(zhǎng)達(dá)一個(gè)月的"倒扁"運(yùn)動(dòng)于昨天掀起高潮，150多萬(wàn)民眾聚集臺(tái)北，要求四面楚歌的陳水扁下臺(tái)。 10月10日當(dāng)天，在陳水扁發(fā)表"國(guó)慶典禮"講話的現(xiàn)場(chǎng)，約50名國(guó)民黨"立委"上臺(tái)高呼"阿扁下臺(tái)"的口號(hào)，同時(shí)做出大拇指向下的手勢(shì)。 幾個(gè)街區(qū)之外，幾十萬(wàn)"倒扁"民眾身穿紅衣、頭戴紅帽，在現(xiàn)場(chǎng)要求涉嫌一系列"貪污"丑聞的陳水扁下臺(tái)。 民眾們怒吼："阿扁下臺(tái)！" 此次長(zhǎng)達(dá)一個(gè)月的"倒扁"行動(dòng)是由陳水扁前"戰(zhàn)友"、原民進(jìn)黨主席施明德發(fā)起的。 施明德說(shuō)："陳水扁必須回應(yīng)人民的要求。" 臺(tái)北警方架起帶刺鐵絲網(wǎng)，阻止抗議者們接近"總統(tǒng)"辦公地。 國(guó)民黨主席馬英九說(shuō)，陳水扁應(yīng)該傾聽(tīng)民眾的呼聲。 "既然超過(guò)60％的臺(tái)灣民眾都認(rèn)為他不再適合做'總統(tǒng)'，他就不應(yīng)該繼續(xù)'保持沉默'。" 今年8月，陳水扁因涉嫌濫用公務(wù)機(jī)要費(fèi)用受到檢查機(jī)關(guān)的調(diào)查。之后，要求他下臺(tái)的呼聲越來(lái)越高。而陳水扁對(duì)此卻矢口否認(rèn)，并宣稱將堅(jiān)持到2008年5月自己的第二屆（最后一屆）任期結(jié)束。 (英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津姍姍編輯)