China angry with RI over Chang visit

China angry with RI over Chang visit

BEIJING (AFP): China has made "serious representations" to Indonesia over a recent visit by Taiwan's Foreign Minister John Chang, the foreign ministry said yesterday.

"China is determinedly against any country which has diplomatic relations with China, forming official ties with Taiwan or having official exchanges and contacts with it in whatever form," said spokesman Shen Guofang.

"China hopes Indonesia will treasure the existing good- neighborly and friendly ties between the two countries, and respect the Chinese government's principled position on the Taiwan issue," he added, according to Xinhua.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said Thursday that Chang was in Indonesia for a private visit and that he had met with Chang Wednesday to talk about "personal" things.

He added that the meeting was between two individuals in their private capacity, not as officials.

But Chang's visit followed hot on the heels of an "unofficial" trip by Vice President Lien Chan to Ukraine, another nation which officially recognizes China and not Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 after a bitter civil war.

"It is a habit of the Taiwan authorities to carry out so- called 'pragmatic diplomacy' through every means, in an attempt to create 'two Chinas' in the international arena, and to sabotage China's friendly relations with other countries," Shen said.

Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui made a private visit to the Indonesian resort island of Bali in 1994 and held unofficial talks with President Soeharto.

Last year, China reacted furiously when the United States allowed Lee to make a "private" visit to New York, and recalled its ambassador in protest.