Saudi royals' trip called `personal'

The ongoing visit by members of the Saudi Arabian royal family in Taiwan is purely for "personal" reasons, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) said yesterday.

In the wake of local media's revelation of the low-key arrival at CKS International Airport by seven members from the Saudi Arabian royal family on Sunday evening, Chien said the group had no plans to call on any officials in Taipei.

"It's a purely personal visit," Chien said of the low-profile visit of the Saudi Arabian royal family members to Taiwan.

Another foreign ministry official, who declined to be named, said the visit was not political at all.

"This has absolutely no political meaning whatsoever," the official said.

When asked to detail duration of the group's visit to Taiwan, the official said the overall duration of the stay had not been finalized yet.

Taiwan severed diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia in 1990 after the Middle East giant state decided to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing in the same year.

Meanwhile, Chien also confirmed that Vice Premier Lin Hsin-yi (林信義) along with his wife reached Australia yesterday morning for what he called a "private visit," without elaborating on details of Lin's trip to the country.

Sources said some of Lin's children currently reside in Australia.