Minister of Justice keeps his itinerary in Singapore secret

Minister of Justice Chen Ding-nan (陳定南) is in Singapore for a four-day visit, but his itinerary is being kept secret to avoid protests from China.

Sources said Chen met with Singapore Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng (黃根成) yesterday for wide-ranging talks.

Wong also played host to a luncheon in honor of Chen, according to the sources.

Chen flew to Singapore on Wednesday for a visit aimed at promoting bilateral judicial cooperation and exchanges.

The Ministry of Justice, however, declined to comment on the report and Chen's aides maintained that they did not know his whereabouts.

Despite the absence of diplomatic ties, Singapore has maintained relations with Taiwan. The countries now have cooperative programs in judicial fields, including prosecutorial exchanges.

Chen is expected to meet with high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (吳作棟), during his visit. It remains unclear whether he will meet with influential Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀), who just returned from a visit to China.

During his stay, Chen will also survey Singapore's measures to prevent official corruption and explore the feasibility of signing a bilateral judicial assistance agreement to facilitate halting cross-border criminal activities.

After years of negotiations, Taiwan and the US signed a judicial assistance accord earlier this year to strengthen cooperation in fighting against cross-border crime. Chen made a visit to the US in July.