China on Thursday blasted the Libyan government for holding talks with Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian and letting him visit the country, while at the same time Chen was accused at home of damaging United States ties with his stopover.
“Regardless of China’s persuasion and strong opposition, Libya insisted on allowing Chen Shui-bian to stop over and discussed with him setting up representative offices on each other’s territory,” said Chinese foreign-ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao.
“We express our strong dissatisfaction and have made solemn representations to Libya. This is a serious violation of Libya’s long-term commitment to China and will have a negative impact on bilateral relations between China and Libya.”
Chen made the surprise visit to Libya after wrapping up a trip to Latin America, which has been dogged by controversy over stopovers.
China regards Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes any overseas visits by its leaders.
The US barred the Taiwanese leader from stopping in New York or San Francisco on his outward and return journeys and an apparently angry Chen rejected its alternative offers of Alaska or Hawaii.
Instead, the independence-leaning leader stopped in Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam en route to Paraguay and Costa Rica, and in the Dominican Republic, Libya and Indonesia on the way home.
The Taiwanese leader said his choice of stopovers was a matter of safeguarding the island’s dignity. He landed in Tripoli late on Wednesday and was greeted by Saif Gadaffi, son of leader Moammar Gadaffi.
Taiwan opened diplomatic relations with Libya in 1959 but broke them off in 1978 when Tripoli switched recognition to China. Taipei later set up a trade office in Libya in 1980 but shut it down in 1997.
“We request Libya to live up to its commitments and immediately cease exchanges with Taiwan in whatever form so as to protect bilateral relations between China and Libya,” said Liu.
In Taipei, opposition lawmakers accused Chen of jeopardising ties with the island’s chief ally, the US, by stopping in Libya rather than Alaska on his way home.
“I totally don’t understand in what way Chen’s transit visit could benefit the Taiwanese people … Taiwan is not like Libya and Taiwan is a democratic country,” said Sun Ta-chien of the Kuomintang (KMT) party.
“The Taiwanese people hope to maintain trust and friendship with the US and Chen has to take the political responsibility for his single-minded move.”
Another KMT lawmaker, Lee Ching-hua, said: “Chen kept lying about his transit stops. His visit to Libya is astonishing.”
Chen made another surprise visit to the Indonesian resort island of Batam on Thursday, where he will spend the night. He is expected to return home on Friday afternoon to a welcome from his supporters.
Lawmakers in Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) praised the Libya visit as a diplomatic breakthrough.
“It is a breakthrough that President Chen can visit countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and that can resist the pressure of China,” said DPP legislator Hsiao Bi-khim.
Despite disagreements over stopovers, Washington on Thursday reaffirmed its security pledge to Taiwan and said relations would be unaffected.
The US has been a “close partner” in Taiwan’s efforts for democracy and economic development over the past five decades and will continue to be, said de facto US ambassador Stephen Young.
“As has been the case since the early Fifties, America continues to be this island’s steady partner as it navigates these dangerous waters,” he said. — AFP