China hinders Taiwan's participation in meeting

The foreign minister from Taiwan will not be able to take part in an APEC meeting that will center on North Korea's nuclear test because of interference from China, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday.

"It's been two years since APEC has held a foreign ministers' meeting," John Chen (陳忠), Director-General of the ministry's Department of International Organizations, said in a news conference

"But as usual, [the foreign minister] from Taiwan can't join in the meeting because of China's interference," he said.

Chen stressed, however, that Morris Chang (張忠謀), President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) special envoy to APEC, would receive the same reception as APEC leaders at the meeting.

"I can assure everyone that Chang's treatment will be fair and equal," John Chen said.

Chang is the chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

This year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will start in Hanoi on Sunday, while the APEC Economic Leaders' Summit is scheduled for Nov. 18 and 19.

In APEC's Business Advisory Council on Nov. 18, the 20 APEC economies will be divided into five groups to discuss a wide range of issues, said Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), acting director of the Division of International Affairs of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research.

I-Mei Foods Co (義美食品) Vice Chairman Henry Kao (高志尚) will be Taiwan's representative to a council group including US President George W. Bush, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權), Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark

In council group two, Teco Group (東元集團) Chairman Theodore Huang (黃茂雄) will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤), Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍), Chilean President Veronica Michelle Bachelet Jeria and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare.