Where is Tien?

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao's (田弘茂) confidential visit to Taiwan's non-diplomatic allies in Europe was made public after the legislature noted his absence yesterday on the first day of the new legislative session.

Tien left Taipei earlier this week to attend an international academic conference in France and would be visiting "a minimum of three to four countries" that did not hold diplomatic ties with Taiwan, officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and legislators said yesterday.

Tien's tour became known yesterday after he missed the first day of the new legislative session -- which all Cabinet ministers are supposed to attend for interpellation.

Noticing that Vice Foreign Minister David Lee (李大維) attended the meeting on behalf of Tien, legislators such as the DPP's Chu Hsin-yu (朱星羽) asked for an explanation of Tien's absence.

Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), speaker of the Legislative Yuan, then quoted officials from the Executive Yuan as saying that Tien was in Europe for an international conference.

David Lee later told reporters that he was unable to reveal which countries the scholar-turned minister was visiting in case it caused a problem for Tien.

But a high-ranking foreign affairs official, who refused to be named, said that Tien was to attend an international forum on Asia-Pacific security in France and also visit several countries that do not hold formal ties with Taiwan.

After a confidential conversation with Lee in the legislature yesterday, DPP Legislator Parris Chang (張旭成) told the Taipei Times that Tien had left for Europe and was expected to visit at least "three to four countries" that were not diplomatic allies.

Tien was expected to return to Taiwan next week, said Chang, who is also chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Legislative Yuan.

Chang also refused to reveal which countries Tien was visiting, though he did rule out Eastern European and Northern European countries.

After talking to foreign ministry officials, KMT Legislator Chen Shei-saint (陳學聖) said Tien would visit several countries that were not Taiwan's diplomatic allies and "meeting some heavyweights political figures."

"This could trigger some diplomatic breakthroughs," Chen said. But "visiting countries that do not hold diplomatic ties with Taiwan should be carried out in a low-profile manner.

"Now that the issue has been exposed to the media, it might further spark pressures from Beijing."

The DPP's Chang gave Tien's trip the thumbs-up, saying: "The trip is worthwhile and an important one."

The Foreign Relations Committee in the Legislative Yuan asked Tien to give a brief on his trip as soon as he returned, Chen said.

Tien's secret trip is likely to enrage China because Beijing has barred its allies from making formal contact with Taipei, including receiving officials from Taiwan.

Taiwan only has two diplomatic allies in Europe -- the Vatican and Macedonia, while all the other European nations recognize China, which sees Taiwan as its province.