Taiwan gov't, politicians slam China's behavior at Tokyo film fest

TAIPEI, Oct. 25 Kyodo -
Taiwan's government and legislators on Monday denounced the ''rude'' behavior
of China's delegation to a Tokyo film festival after it engaged in a shouting
match with the Taiwanese delegation over use of the name ''Taiwan.''
The face-off on Saturday, the start of the nine-day Tokyo International Film
Festival, was triggered by Chinese delegation head Jiang Ping's demand that the
name ''Taiwan'' be replaced by ''China Taiwan'' or ''Chinese Taipei'' and his
claim that the Taiwanese were part of the Chinese delegation.
An ensuing argument between Jiang, deputy president of China Film Group Corp.,
and Chen Chih-kuan, head of the Taiwanese government's Department of Motion
Pictures, resulted in both delegations missing their presentation to the media
and fans.
Since Sunday, Taiwan government officials and legislators have been attacking
the Chinese delegation's behavior, with Premier Wu Den-yih calling it ''rude''
and ''improper.''
The Chinese delegation ''made a serious mistake, reverting to the rudeness and
irrationality of the past,'' he said.
Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said the Chinese delegation's
behavior ''seriously hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people and did not
benefit the peaceful development of cross-strait relations,'' which have
improved under President Ma Ying-jeou.
Chao Chien-min, deputy minister of Taiwan's China-policy organ, the Mainland
Affairs Council, called it ''unfriendly and unwise.''
Beijing's initial response Monday to Taiwan's displeasure was somewhat
conciliatory.
Sun Yafu, deputy director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said he
was not fully aware of the incident.
He added that cross-strait exchanges ''cannot be stopped; the door that has
been opened cannot be closed,'' Taiwan's semiofficial Central News Agency
reported from Beijing.
But Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party has pounced on the
incident to attack Ma's policy of detente with China, saying China's aggression
toward Taiwan in international settings has not changed.
DPP Legislator Chen Ting-fei said the government should consider suspending all
agreements and future negotiations with China, including a limited free-trade
agreement signed in June.
Chinese officials have frequently intervened in non-government activities such
as sports events and cultural festivals in which the word ''Taiwan'' is used,
maintaining the claim that Taiwan is Chinese territory and opposing any
suggestion that Taiwan is a sovereign state.
The tear-stained face of one of the affected Taiwanese actresses, Vivian Hsu,
appeared prominently Monday in Taiwanese newspapers and cable TV news channels.
Commentaries and letters in ordinarily China-friendly newspapers warned Monday
of damage to the cross-strait relationship.
Nobushige Toshima, secretary general of the film festival, which is being held
through next Sunday, said the delegations of both China and Taiwan resumed
participation on Sunday, and the festival has proceeded as scheduled.
''A film festival is a cultural event, so that kind of (political) activity is mortifying,'' Toshima said.