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 | Taiwanese demonstrators raise their joined hands in the southern county of Tainan on February 1, 2004 in a protest against China's missiles aimed at the island and to show support for President Chen Shui-bian and his plans to hold a defensive referendum. An estimated 60,000 protestors joined hands and were rehearsing for a much larger rally planned for February 28, when an estimated one million people are expected to hold hands along the 400 km (249 mile) length of the island. click to open  |  | Former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui (2nd L) raises his hands with members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party at a rally in the southern county of Tainan, February 1, 2004 to protest against China's deployment of missiles aimed at Taiwan and in support of President Chen Shui-bian's plans to hold a defensive referendum. click to open |  | U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, left, speaks at a briefing for reporters in Beijing, China, on Jan. 30, 2004, as U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt looks on. Armitage met with Chinese leaders and discussed the Taiwan and North Korea issues. click to open |  | Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian signing a copy of the referendum legislation at the Office of the President in Taipei on December 31, 2003 click to open |  | Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian (R) meets U.S. congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) before a closed-door meeting in Taipei January 6, 2004. Chen has vowed to press ahead with a controversial referendum calling on rival China to dismantle nearly 500 missiles pointed at the island despite a blunt warning from U.S. President George W. Bush against upsetting the political status quo. click to open |  | Pro-unification protestors chant slogans in front of the American Institute in Taiwan, Washington's de facto embassy on the island, to voice their opposition to President Chen Shui-bian's defense referendum and ask the U.S. to stop him from using it, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, in Taipei. Facing U.S. pressure to avoid a conflict with China, Chen assured visiting Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., on Thursday that he had no plans for an independence vote. Taiwan and China have been separated since 1949, but Beijing claims the self-ruled island as its territory and has threatened to attack if it declares formal independence. click to open |
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