Beijing is reported to have objected to Taiwan's appointment of
its former "Vice-Premier" Tsai Ing-wen as a delegate at the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which is to be
held in Sydney in early September.
"The reason Beijing opposed Tsai was that she was the architect
of the 'theory of two countries,' which was raised by Taiwan's
former leader Lee Teng-hui in 1999, the Taipei-based China
Times said on Sunday.
Beijing regarded the theory as a means to secure Taiwan's
independence, which is part of China's territory.
Taiwan is a member of APEC under the name of Chinese Taipei as
the island has no right to attend international meetings as a
sovereign country.
The Taiwan administration said on Sunday it will name a new
envoy to the summit before August 20.
The report came as Taiwan's latest bid for the UN membership was
rejected.
"People in Taiwan all know that Tsai Ing-wen is a political
figure, the drafter of the "theory of two countries. I question
Chen's intentions by naming her to attend the APEC summit, which
mainly focuses on economic issues," Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher
at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.
Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po quoted Lee Hung-chun, the
spokesman for the Taiwan's People First Party, as saying Beijing's
rejection of the candidate was the result of Taipei's bid to join
the UN.
The Democratic Progressive Party's inappropriate handling of the
UN bid, which puts its political power and the election ahead of
the local economy or the safety of the people, is detrimental to
Taiwan's future, Lee said.
(China Daily August 7, 2007)