(CNN) At least 100,000 people have marched in Taiwan in support of a government plan to hold a referendum on joining the UN under the name Taiwan.
The UN has rejected previous bids from the island to join the body under its official name, Republic of China.
The bids anger Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a breakaway province. China has vowed to use force if Taiwan took steps towards formal independence.
China's opposition means Taiwan's bids for a UN seat are certain to fail.
The march, in the southern city of Kaohsiung, attracted hundreds of thousands of people according to organisers, while police said 100,000 took part.