Report: Former Taiwan vice president Annette Lu to visit China

Nov 11, 2009, 4:32 GMT

   Taipei - Taiwan former vice president Annette Lu plans to visit China in the spring and would become the island's highest-ranking pro-independence official to visit the mainland if the trip goes ahead.

   Lu plans to attend a meeting of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women in Shanghai in March, NEXT magazine reported, quoting an unnamed source. Lu, who stepped down as vice president in 2008, now heads the Taiwan chapter of the organization.

   She might also meet Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Chinese officials handling ties with Taipei, the magazine said.

   Lu, 65, served two four-year terms as vice president for the then-ruling pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

   During her tenure, she advocated Taiwan independence and slammed Beijing's assertion that Taiwan is part of China, saying Taiwan and mainland China were nothing more than neighbours or distant relatives.

   China at that time called Lu 'lunatic' and 'the scum of the nation.'

   Lu's visit to China must be approved by the Taiwan government.

   'Taiwan and the mainland are promoting peaceful exchanges, so if there is no risk of leaking state secrets, the Interior Ministry is happy to see her make the trip,' Interior Minister Wu Yi-hua told parliament.