CHING CHIA-SHOU HAS HIS HEAD SHAVED IN TAIPEI, 1998-12-03 (photo)

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Chang Kin-shing (R) shaves Taipei County councilor Ching Chia-shou's head, during a ceremony in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei December 3. Ching said the shaving was to show his support for direct transport, trade and postal links with mainland China. Ching said the government policy to ban direct transport link with the mainland has sharply increased the cost of traffic and travel spending for Taiwan people. He also said shaving the middle part of his head means that direct links are more important than Taiwan's independence or union between Taiwan and mainland China for the time being. He said the independence and the unification issues should be temporarily put aside. Taiwan and mainland China split after a civil war in 1949. LC/TAN