Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties rallied more than 150,000 people in separate events to support the island's entry to the United Nations, divided by the difference between ``joining'' and ``rejoining'' the world body.

An alliance led by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, or DPP, gathered 60,000 people in the southern city of Kaohsiung today, organizers said, pushing for a referendum that would call on the island to ``join'' the UN under the name ``Taiwan.''

The opposition Kuomintang said 100,000 people joined its march in the central city of Taichung at the same time to push for a referendum in support of ``rejoining'' the UN after the island lost its seat 36 years ago.

Taiwan was a member of the UN under its official moniker ``Republic of China,'' or ROC, until 1971, when China took the seat under its own official name, ``People's Republic of China.'' The nuance between joining and rejoining highlights a divide among Taiwanese about the island's identity as part of China or a separate sovereign nation.

``It's symbolism about Taiwan independence versus keeping the status quo,'' said Philip Yang, a professor at Taipei's National Taiwan University. ``The DPP wants to forge a Taiwan independence identity, while the KMT wants to remain vague.''

Taiwan has been turned down each year since it began a campaign in 1993 to rejoin the UN as an observer under the ROC label. The DPP seeks to submit future applications under the name Taiwan, a move which the U.S. opposes.

`Peace Forever'

President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu of the DPP led marchers, including the party's 2008 presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, through Kaohsiung wearing T-shirts emblazoned with ``UN for Taiwan, Peace Forever.''

``We know it's going to be a long fight, we have no illusions about that,'' DPP chairman Yu Shyi-kun said at a briefing for foreign journalists yesterday in Taipei. ``The point of this demonstration is that we want our voice to be heard.''

Joining under the name Taiwan ``is more feasible'' because admission under the ROC title ``implies that it would oust China,'' Yu said.

KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou and his vice- presidential running mate Vincent Siew carried ROC flags as they led supporters of a referendum to ``rejoin the United Nations.''

``We support a referendum for Taiwan to rejoin under the name ROC or any other appropriate name,'' KMT spokesman Su Jun- pin said today in a telephone interview.

Motivating Voters

Chen wants to hold a referendum on UN entry on March 22, the same day Ma and Siew face Hsieh and his running mate Su Tseng-chang in a presidential election. The referendum issue is being used to motivate supporters ahead of the ballot, National Taiwan University's Yang said.

``Joining the UN under the name Taiwan doesn't involve changing the country's official name or breaking the `Four Noes' pledge,'' Chen told reporters today in remarks broadcast on television station CTi. In May 2000, Chen pledged not to declare independence, change the island's official title, promote a referendum on independence or unification, or include the term ``state to state'' in the constitution.

China considers Taiwan a part of its territory and opposes any moves that would imply separate national identity or sovereignty. The U.S. said it supports Taiwan holding referenda, but opposes one on UN membership as ``Taiwan'' because this implies a change of name.

``We do not support Taiwan's membership in international organizations that require statehood and therefore would not support such a referendum,'' Thomas Christensen, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, said in a speech on Sept. 11.

``Needlessly provocative actions by Taipei strengthen Beijing's hand in limiting Taiwan's space and scare away potential friends who might help Taiwan,'' he said, according to a transcript of the speech to the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tim Culpan in Taipei at tculpan1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: September 15, 2007 05:55 EDT