Chinese Taipei maintains a low profile at APEC forum

JAKARTA (JP): Chinese Taipei, annoyed that vigorous lobbying failed to get its President, Lee Teng-hui, invited to the second APEC economic leaders meeting in Bogor, will be represented by Vincent Siew, Minister of State and Chairman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, instead.

Siew and Economics Minister Chiang Pin-kung will also lead the Taipei delegation at the ministerial meeting on Friday and Saturday.

The Indonesian government, host of the informal summit, has decided to follow the format of last November's first APEC leaders meeting on Blake Island in the United States.

Although the main reason for not inviting the Taiwanese President is quite obvious, Taipei officials here still wonder why a forum like APEC, which supposedly has nothing to do with politics, does not welcome their head of government.

They insist that Taiwan, the world's 13th largest trading nation and one of the largest investors in ASEAN countries, deserves to be represented by its head of government in the economic forum.

APEC's members, including Indonesia, adopt a one-China policy, meaning that they officially recognize only the government in Beijing.

Despite the disappointment, the 40 delegates of the Chinese Taipei team, who are staying at the Borobudur Inter-Continental Hotel, have been some of the most active participants in the various APEC sessions held here since Nov. 3.

David Tzou, the Information Director of the Taipei Economic and Trade Office in Jakarta, said his office had set up a media center in the Sumatra Room at the Borobudur Hotel to serve the 45 Taiwanese journalists who are here to cover the APEC meetings. (vin)