China expresses concern over Lu's visit to Jakarta

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

China has officially expressed concern over Taiwan Vice President Annete Lu's visit to Jakarta and questioned the reception of the VIP guest by the Indonesian government.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Saturday that Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Lu Shumin had officially met him regarding the issue.

"They (Beijing) expressed concern and asked for confirmation from us regarding the Taiwan official's visit," Hassan said after attending the celebration of the 57th anniversary of Indonesia's independence at the State Palace.

Lu arrived in Jakarta from the resort island of Bali on Friday evening on a chartered flight and stayed overnight, which sparked tension in the blossoming relations between Beijing and Jakarta.

Earlier on Wednesday, China lodged a protest to Jakarta, saying that "China had made solemn representation to the Indonesian side" over the visit.

Due to the protest, Indonesia denied Lu's entry, and she was left stranded at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport before deciding to fly to Bali.

Lu, who arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport on her return to Jakarta on Friday, was greeted by Golkar Party executives Marzuki Darusman and Agung Laksono. Golkar is the second largest party in Indonesia after President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

It was also reported that Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea met Lu in Bali regarding the issue of Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan.

Taiwan has stopped hiring Indonesian workers since Aug. 1 after hundreds of them broke their contracts and left their jobs to avoid paying fees imposed by brokers.

Hassan said that he had assured Ambassador Lu of Indonesia's commitment to the one-China policy and the government had not arranged the Taiwan official's visit to Jakarta.

"There was no arrangement made by the government and no Indonesian officials met the vice president. Beijing understands that perfectly," Hassan said.

The minister also said that Beijing appreciated Indonesia's stance on the one-China policy and played down the possibility that the visit would damage the relationship between the two countries.

"We have intensified the relationship over the past 10 years and this will continue as Beijing understands the situation," Hassan said.

Separately, Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said former attorney general Marzuki and former state minister of sports and youth affairs Agung Laksono held talks with Vice President Lu.

"It was made in her capacity as a Taiwan politician and Marzuki has a very close friendship with the vice president," Akbar said.

He underlined that the discussion focused on several matters, given Indonesia's many business interests with Taiwan, especially on migrant workers.

It was not immediately clear whether Golkar played a mediatory role in the discussion.

"There was no such thing. The meeting was simply because Marzuki knows her very well," said Akbar, who is also the House of Representatives speaker.