Beijing is reported to have objected to Taiwan's appointment of its former "Vice-Premier" Tsai Ing-wen as a delegate at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which is to be held in Sydney in early September.

"The reason Beijing opposed Tsai was that she was the architect of the 'theory of two countries', which was raised by Taiwan's former leader Lee Teng-hui in 1999, the Taipei-based China Times said on Sunday.

Beijing regarded the theory as a means to secure Taiwan's independence, which is part of China's territory.

Taiwan is a member of APEC under the name of Chinese Taipei as the island has no right to attend international meetings as a sovereign country.

The Taiwan administration said on Sunday it will name a new envoy to the summit before August 20.

The report came as Taiwan's latest bid for the United Nations membership was rejected.

"People in Taiwan all know that Tsai Ing-wen is a political figure, the drafter of the "theory of two countries. I question Chen's intentions by naming her to attend the APEC summit, which mainly focuses on economic issues," Li Jiaquan, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.

Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po quoted Lee Hung-chun, the spokesman for the Taiwan's People First Party, as saying Beijing's rejection of the candidate was the result of Taipei's bid to join the UN.

The Democratic Progressive Party's inappropriate handling of the UN bid, which puts its political power and the election ahead of the local economy or the safety of the people, is detrimental to Taiwan's future, Lee said.

China Daily

(China Daily 08/07/2007 page3)