The DPP said the protest rally will be aimed at expressing the different views of the public over the government's plans to sign a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China.

The party, which favors Taiwan's independence from China, also said the protest will serve to express disapproval against the “closed- door” style of negotiations adopted by Taiwan's ruling party Kuomingtang (KMT) and China's Communist party since President Ma Ying-jeou of the KMT came to power in 2008.

Chen Chi-mai, a high-ranking DPP official, said the DPP, as the biggest opposition party in Taiwan, needs to demonstrate the extent of Taiwanese people's opposition to the ECFA.

The agreement is similar to a free-trade agreement and is on agenda of discussions for next month's high-level talks.

Chen said the details of the protest rally such as its size and location, will be decided after the Dec. 5 elections for county magistrates and city mayors. The election is being seen as a gauge of public opinion on the policies of the ruling party and President Ma for promoting closer ties with China.

Another DPP official Lin Chia-lung said that signing the ECFA will hurt various industries and groups in the country, therefore the DPP should make it an international issue and let the international community understand there is an opposing point of view towards the ECFA in Taiwan. Supporters of the ECFA, including President Ma, have said it is necessary to ensure Taiwan does not lose out as China forms free-trade pacts with other countries.

Earlier in the month, Taiwan's Minister of the Interior Chiang Yi-huah said the government will take all necessary security measures to make sure that the next round of cross-Taiwan Strait negotiations will take place as scheduled in Taichung City, without disruptions.

Chiang Ping-kung, chairman of Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), and Chen Yunlin, president of China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), are scheduled to meet in the central Taiwanese city on Dec. 21 for their fourth round of talks to sign agreements on fishing crew cooperation, agricultural quarantine inspection, standards, inspection and certification for industrial products, and the avoidance of double taxation.

During the second round of SEF-ARATS talks that took place in Taipei last November, Chen and the other Chinese negotiators were besieged by protesters at a Taipei hotel after attending a dinner party hosted by Kuomintang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan. Chen and other members of his delegation were unable to leave the hotel until after midnight, despite a strong police presence.

“A situation like this will not be allowed to happen again,” Chiang said earlier, adding that the government will take precautionary measures to prevent a repeat of the incident.