Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 15, 2002
China Opposes Chen Shui-bian's Planned Visit to Indonesia: FM Spokesman
For Chen Shui-bian to enter Indonesia in any capacity will harm relations between China and Indonesia, and is not in the interests of Indonesia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Saturday.
For Chen Shui-bian to enter Indonesia in any capacity will harm relations between China and Indonesia, and is not in the interests of Indonesia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Saturday.
Asked to comment on reports that Chen is to visit Yogyakarta, in Indonesia, Liu said his ministry was paying close attention to the reports about Chen's planned visit to Yogyakarta.
As was well known, Liu said, what Chen had said and done in favor of "Taiwan independence" had met with strong opposition by the Chinese people and were unpopular in the international community.
Chen was not a tourist and for him to enter Indonesia in any capacity would harm friendly cooperation between China and Indonesia, Liu said.
The Chinese government has always treasured its friendly relations with Indonesia and hopes to maintain the stability of bilateral political ties.
"We hope and believe the Indonesian government will honor its commitment to the one-China principle so that this political plot of the Taiwan authorities will fail," Liu said.
The Jakarta Post, Indonesia's leading English language daily newspaper, reported on Saturday that Chen would visit Yogyakarta next week.