Taiwan Church News

3834 Edition

18 ~ 24 August, 2025

Weekly Topical

Marching for Nuclear-Free and Safe Taiwan, Civil Groups Protest to Re-Start Nuclear Plant No. 3

Reported by Lin Yi-ying from Taipei

On August 23, a referendum on Nuclear Plant No. 3 will be held. To express a resolute stance for nuclear-free homeland, a big march to protest the re-starting of Nuclear Plant No. 3 was held on August 16 in Taipei. The march is attended by hundreds of citizens and many civil groups, including Taiwan North Society, Union of TaiwaneseTeachers, Association of Parent Participating Education in Taiwan, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan(PCT), Koo Kwang-Ming Foundation, Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party and etc.

Rev Ng Tiet-gan, secretary of PCT Church and Society Committee, said that PCT had issued an anti-nuclear Declaration in 1992 and would absolutely oppose the re-start of Nuclear Plant No. 3. He called on Taiwanese peopleto cast a no-vote in the coming referendum.

The protest started from the entrance plaza of National Taiwan University about 4:00 pm. When the people marched through the Headquarter Building of Taiwan Power Company (TPC) on Roosevelt Road, they shouted slogan of823, No Nuke 3. Along the way, campaigning leaders on promotion vans continued to give speeches, warning the reopening of the third nuclear plant, which had been operated for 40 years, would bring Taiwan society many devastating dangers. The parade stopped briefly at Freedom Square and finally arrived at Chun-Hsian Building of Legislative Yuan.

“Taiwan fortunately shut down the last nuclear power plant on May 17 and officially entered into an era ofnuclear-free homeland. But, to everyone’s surprise, KMT and TTP co-operated to raise a referendum on re-starting the dangerous and outdated nuclear plant No. 3, ” said Rev Ng said, “the referendum to restart nuclear power is not an option supported by PCT, who has been committed to anti-nuclear power. Beyond doubt the referendum is in backpedal!” In a response, Rev Ng took to the streets with civic groups to call on people to love Taiwan and cast no-vote on August 23.

Rev Chen Ming-hui, a member of PCT Church and Society Committee, said “ it’s absolutely reasonable for Taiwan to turn away from nuclear power, as the vision of a nuclear-free homeland is the will of the people. Considering that there is no absolute nuclear safety up to date, be it in theory or in practice, KMT and TTP should not backtrack to nuclear energy by a hasty referendum.”

“What’s more, the outdated nuclear plant No. 3, which had been operated for 40 years, should have been retired long ago. TTP launches a referendum and costs NT$ 1.1 billion is really a big waste of money. To let Taiwan safe and sustainable for long, the PCT strongly oppose to re-start nuclear plant No. 3,” said Rev Chen.

Mr Chang Ren-yang, deputy director of ToBeAMaster Volunteers Corp and elder of Toucheng Church of Chi-Hsin presbytery, said “the predecessor of ToBeAMaster Volunteers Corp was Association for Referendum of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, which was the first civil organization to campaign for no nukes in Taiwan.”

“On April 22, 2014, Mr Lin Yi-hsiung, the founding member of Association for Referendum of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, began to fast in Gi-Kong Church and call Taiwan government “to abolish the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant. Finally, the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant was forced to stop its business operation under the will of Taiwanese people,” he said.

Mr Chang expressed that visions of no-nukes and nuclear-free homeland had always been the ideals adhered by Taiwanese people for more than three decades. “It’s totally irresponsible that the opposition parties launch a referendum to restart of nuclear plant No. 3,” he said, “ because Taiwan, our dear homeland, could be obliterated immediately due to an unworthy nuclear accident!”

“This referendum violates the duty of Christians called to be good stewards in the world. So, we should cast no in the referendum, in order to uphold virtues of justice across generations, compassion for the people and land, and humbleness to walk with God,” called Mr Chang.

Translated by Peter Wolfe