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Ma picks Lien Chan to represent him at APEC forum

Former vice president Lien Chan (連戰) will represent President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) at the APEC Forum in Peru next month.

As a former vice president, Lien isthe highest-ranking Taiwanese official, former or current, to attend the event.

Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said that Lien, who will attend the event in his capacity as chairman of the National Policy Foundation, is the most suitable candidate because he has a profound understanding of the international situation and an impressive educational background.

The foundation is a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-affiliated think tank.

The leaders summit, better known as the informal economic leaders’ meeting, will take place in Lima from Nov. 21 through Nov. 23. The reception is scheduled for Nov. 20 and business networking, tours and golf are planned for Nov. 23.

Leaders scheduled to speak at the summit include Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).

Asked for comment, KMT caucus deputy secretary-general Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) praised Ma’s choice, saying that Lien would make an excellent representative given his status in Taiwan.

Lu said having Lien as a representative would benefit the nation, as Lien would be able to communicate with leaders and senior officials from China and other countries at the summit.

Since Taiwan and China joined APEC in 1991, Beijing has blocked Taipei’s presidents and foreign ministers from attending the group’s annual forums, citing a memorandum of understanding signed with China and Hong Kong before Taipei joined the group in December 1991 under the name “Chinese Taipei.” The three economies entered the organization as a single economic entity.

In 1993, APEC leaders met for the first time at the fifth APEC forum, held in Seattle, Washington. Taiwan’s participation at the meeting marked the first time the nation joined an international multilateral summit since the Cairo Conference of 1943.

In 1995, following then-president Lee Teng-hui’s (李登輝) visit to the US despite fierce opposition from China to attend a reunion at his alma mater, Cornell University, Beijing argued it was “impossible” for leaders from both sides to meet in international forums like APEC.

Beijing’s backroom bullying over Taiwan’s participation at APEC reached a climax in 2001, when the meeting was held in Shanghai.

Beijing flatly rejected then-president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) request that he be allowed to attend.

Taiwan was then blocked from attending the leaders meeting after China voted down Chen’s proposed candidate, former vice president Li Yuan-zu (李元簇).

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday called the appointment of Lien as APEC envoy “improper and disappointing.”

Lin Cheng-wei (林成蔚), head of the DPP’s Department of International Affairs, said that although Lien had been vice president and premier, he had failed to mention the name of his country — Republic of China — during his visit to China in his capacity as KMT chairman.

“Lien downgraded the country during his visit to China. How could Taiwanese expect him to stand up for his country in the international forum?” Lin asked.

Saying that Lien was an outsider on global economics and trade, DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) said it was a pity the government could not come up with a better emissary to represent the nation at the forum.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG AND RICH CHANG
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