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China warns US of Chen's `tricks' on Latin America trip

China yesterday urged the US not to be duped by the "tricks" of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) who it said would use his US stop-

overs en route to Latin America to sabotage Sino-American ties.

According to the Presidential Office, Chen will transit in Hawaii on his way to Panama on Aug. 29 and will stop in Seattle on Sept. 3 on the way back home from Belize.

"The Taiwan administration is taking advantage of the excuse of stopovers to try and split China and violate Sino-US relations," the Chinese foreign ministry said in an official statement.

"This is a trick they have used before. We would like to urge the US not to allow high-ranking Taiwanese officials to carry out splittist activities by the excuse of a stopover."

A transit by Chen in New York last October en route to Panama provoked warnings of dire consequences for Sino-US ties.

During his stay in Panama, Chen met US Secretary of State Colin Powell, drawing further loud protests from Beijing.

The US has maintained a "one China" policy since switching its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

However, it maintains close economic and defense ties with Taipei and remains the nation's leading arms supplier.

Latin America is a major battleground of the diplomatic tug-of-war between Taiwan and China, with 13 of the 26 countries that recognize Taipei rather than Beijing situated in Latin America.
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