Taipei, April 30 (CNA) Premier Su Tseng-chang said Sunday that China has relentlessly strangled Taiwan's activities in the international community and that Chinese President Hu Jintao's actions are not as good as his words.
Commenting on China's obstruction of his planned visit to
Haiti in mid-May, Su said Hu's promise to "let Taiwan have larger space to maneuver in the international community, " made during a meeting in Beijing with opposition Kuomintang (KMT) Honorary Chairman Lien Chan in mid-April has proved to be a bounced check in less than a month.
Su called for the Taiwan public to be more vigilant against the plots of Beijing, which he said has tried every possible means to oppress and contain Taiwan on the world stage.
President Chen Shui-bian has designated Su to serve as his envoy to attend
Haitian President-elect Rene Preval's inauguration scheduled for May 14.
However, Preval informed Taiwan's embassy in Haiti Saturday that China has pressured Haiti through U.N. channels not to invite Su and has threatened to retaliate when the U.N. Security Council discusses in August whether to extend the peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China can veto the council's decision.
For Haiti's security and future development,
Preval suggested that Taiwan follow Japan in sending a lower-ranking official to attend his inauguration. Japan will send the chief secretary of its Foreign Ministry to attend the Preval inauguration.
In his message, Preval also gave his assurance that during his tenure, Haiti will maintain its diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier in the day that the government will select a suitable official to replace Su at the inauguration.
Noting that Taiwan and Haiti have maintained diplomatic relations for more than half a century, ministry officials said China's domineering attitude and bullying will boomerang.
Meanwhile, Yeh Yi-chin, a ruling Democratic Progressive Party legislative caucus whip, said Beijing's efforts to contain Taiwan in the international community have not relented even slightly after the Lien-Hu meeting, during which the Chinese president said he will see to it that Taiwan is allowed more room on the world stage.
Yeh blasted the meeting has having proved meaningless and she called for the opposition "pan-blue alliance" of the KMT, the People First Party and the New Party not to harbor any illusions about Beijing any longer.