Taiwan minister silenced in flare-up at Apec

11.00 am

SHANGHAI - In a testy flare-up at a news conference during an Asia Pacific meeting on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan cut off Taiwan's economics minister and berated a journalist from the island.

Tang was visibly irked by a question from a Taiwan journalist about a dispute that has erupted over the island's representation at an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) gathering.

As US Secretary of State Colin Powell and other Apec ministers looked on, Tang silenced the Taiwan minister, Lin Hsin-i, who had climbed to his feet and raised his hand to request the floor.

"Chairman, chairman," Lin called out to Tang, the host of the event in Shanghai.

Tang snapped that it was "unnecessary to waste time" on the subject.

He then took to task the reporter from Taiwan's PowerTV for using the term "Communist China" -- a throwback to the Cold War -- in his question.

Earlier on Thursday, Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian accused China of breaching protocol by failing to send the island's nominated representative an invitation to a weekend summit of Apec's 21 leaders.

"I regret this total disregard of protocol," Chen told a group of US congressmen in a telephone conference, according to a statement issued by his office.

Taiwan, regarded by China as a breakaway province, takes part in Apec meetings under the title "Chinese Taipei" -- an arrangement designed to overcome China's objections to recognition of Taiwan's sovereignty.

Taiwan usually sends a cabinet minister or business leader to represent the head of its government at Apec summits.

But this year it proposed sending former vice president Li Yuan-zu to the summit after Beijing rejected repeated requests for Chen to go.

Beijing has said the island should abide by protocol for Apec meetings and send a minister with an economy-related post. It was not clear how the dispute will be resolved.

- REUTERS

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