Taipei, Sept. 27 (CNA) Vice President Annette Lu criticized mainland China Thursday for its "rude and rough" attitude toward Taiwan in hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum conference in Shanghai, which will begin Oct. 18.
The vice president made the remarks while attending the 7th annual meeting of the Federation of World Taiwan Chambers of Commerce.
Lu said that Taiwan is a significant member in Asia and the Pacific region, but has had to put up over the long-term with Beijing's diplomatic pressure. Taiwan not only cannot attend the APEC meeting using its official name, but its leaders have been slighted and cannot attend the unofficial leadership meeting every year.
She noted that in the past, even if the ROC president could not attend the regional meeting, the host country would act in accordance with protocol and send a special envoy to present invitations to the meeting.
While Beijing says that Taiwan people are their brethren, they have not bothered to send a personal envoy, instead they only faxed the invitation to Taiwan in May, Lu said.
The vice president stressed that Taiwan must watch Beijing's attitude closely and expressed the hope that Taiwan business people would make it clear to the international community that Beijing is using uncouth tactics.
She said that Beijing has used the "most rude and rough" approach to "squeeze" Taiwan, and the international community should condemn such practices.