Government officials visiting Washington on Monday lashed out at China for refusing to accept Taiwan's chosen envoy to last month's APEC summit in Shanghai.
Chen Po-chih (
The officials accused Beijing of not respecting Taiwan's APEC membership status.
Chiang told an audience of several dozen US academics, business representatives and officials that Beijing had failed as APEC's host country in not sending an envoy to Taipei to extend an invitation to Taiwan in accordance with APEC protocol.
Instead, the Chinese authorities faxed Taipei a letter addressed to no specific person, Chiang said.
Chiang also added that former vice president Li Yuan-zu (
Yet Beijing was unwilling to accept Li, Chiang said.
Despite its absence at this year's summit, Taiwan will continue to actively participate in APEC activities, the officials said.
Chen Chien-jen (程建人), Tai-wan's de facto ambassador to the US, said that he did not expect the APEC fracas to affect relations between Taipei, Washington and Beijing.
CEPD chief Chen said at a discussion panel that China's economic prospects have often been grossly exaggerated.
Chen also added that higher transparency resulting from China's entry into the WTO will cause Taiwanese businesses to lose their unique advantage they currently enjoy in China.
The focus of the seminar was on Taipei-Beijing-Washington relations in the wake of the APEC summit.
A poll released by the Gallup organization after the incident said nearly 68 percent of respondents said it's very likely that Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan's (
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