Taiwan protests Indonesia's ban on visit by President Chen

Taiwan protests Indonesia's ban on visit by President Chen

Agence France-Presse, Taipei

Taiwan on Tuesday strongly protested a decision by Indonesia banning president Chen Shui-bian from visiting the Southeast Asian country.

"We hereby lodge our strong protest against the unfriendly and improper gesture," Taiwan's foreign minister Eugene Chien told reporters.

"President Chen meant to improve relations with Indonesia by visiting the country ... and the remarks (made by Indonesian officials) will have only caused a negative impact on bilateral ties," Chien added.

Chen was forced on Sunday to cancel a trip to the central Java city of Yogyakarta after a media leak prompted a strong protest from China to Jakarta.

Yogyakarta provincial secretary Bambang Priyohadi had said Chen was scheduled to arrive Tuesday "in his private capacity" for a one-day visit as head of a 90-strong business delegation for talks with Yogyakarta's Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Monday his country had made it very clear that "we do not expect to facilitate his (Chen's) visit to Indonesia," suggesting that Chen would be denied entry if he attempted to go there.

Chien also reminded Jakarta authorities that: "our national designation is Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan's official name), not Chinese Taipei (as used by Indonesian officials)."

The two countries shared closed ties, Chien said, noting that Taiwanese investments in Indonesia totaled some US$17 billion, about 200,000 Taiwanese tourists travel to the country every year and that there were 100,000 Indonesian workers in Taiwan.

"We hope the relations between Indonesia and the ROC are built on the basis of mutual interests and the principle of reciprocity," Chien said.

Asked if Taiwan would order a ban on the imports of Indonesian workers as retaliation, Chien said Taipei will watch reaction from Jakarta before taking further action.

Taiwan lifted a ban on the imports of Indonesian workers soon after Vice President Annette Lu visited Bali in August.

Lu was barred entry at Jakarta but managed to enter the country through the Indonesian resort.

Indonesia has no diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory under the "one China" principle. China has often protested to countries with which it has diplomatic ties for receiving high-level Taiwanese officials.