Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲), leader of Academia Sinica, will represent President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) at the APEC leaders' summit later this month. The Presidential Office is expected to make the announcement today.
President Chen yesterday told reporters that he had received an invitation delivered by an envoy dispatched by Mexican President Vincente Fox, the host of the APEC meeting this year.
TAIPEI TIMES FILE PHOTO
A close aide to the president confirmed the invitation was addressed directly to Lee, which indicated that the candidate had already gained permission from the host country.
The 10th APEC leaders' summit will be held on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 in Los Cabos, Mexico. Lee will sit next to US President George W. Bush.
Along with China and Hong Kong, Taiwan was admitted to the 21-member economic grouping in 1991 under the name "Chinese Taipei."
According to a memorandum of understanding signed in 1991, only economic decision-makers can attend the leadership gathering.
Since the meeting of APEC leaders in 1993 in Seattle, Beijing has pressured the conference's organizers to refuse to let Taiwan's president, vice president, premier or vice premier represent the country at the group's annual summits.
The presidential aide said that in choosing Lee as the candidate, the president was considering his image, international reputation and his command of English.
Lee is a 1986 Nobel laureate in chemistry and the president of the country's highest research institution.
Chen intended to appoint Lee to represent him at the APEC unofficial leaders' summit two years ago, but the arrangement was called off because of opposition from China as a result of Lee's endorsement of Chen during the presidential campaign.
But China seems to have eased its hostility toward Lee after letting him make a visit to Beijing in June, when Lee attended an international academic conference in the city after being refused a visa to enter China for the past two years.
APEC was initially designed as an economic forum when it was launched in 1989, but political issues usually steal the limelight.
Last year Taiwan was forced to be absent from the leader's summit as China, the host country, refused to extend an invitation to former vice president Li Yuan-tzu (李元簇), who was Chen's choice for Taiwan's representative at the meeting.
Although China did not explain its behavior, it was widely believed that Beijing considered Li's former position as vice president unsuitable.
Taiwan's absence from the meeting provoked an outcry from the pro-China opposition camp and triggered concern from other APEC members.
Having learned from past experience, the administration has been particularly circumspect in choosing Chens envoy this year. Officials have said that Lee's status as an academic also helps avoid the complications that a political figure would create.
Nevertheless, Taiwan is apprehensive that China may utilize its diplomatic advantage to pressure the host country -- as happens in almost all APEC meets -- to demote Taiwan's status.
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