TAIPEI: Taiwan's incoming premier sprang a surprise on Monday by naming a pro-independence politician to head its China policy-making body, raising concerns over the government's vow to improve ties.

Liu Chao-shiuan, who officially takes the premiership next month, defended his decision to ask Lai Shin-yuan to lead the Mainland Affairs Council, saying she agreed with the incoming government's policy on China.

Lai is a former legislator of the Taiwan Solidarity Union, which supports independence from the mainland.

Incoming president Ma Ying-jeou, in contrast, has pledged to expand trade, tourism and transport links, and work on a peace treaty to end the decades of hostility between the two sides.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war, but Beijing still regards the island as part of its territory and has threatened an invasion should it declare independence.

Liu played down concern over Lai's politics, saying that "in principle, Lai agrees with Ma's China policy and would like to implement it".

Lai herself insisted she would strive "to sustain the status quo" and obey Ma's principles of "no reunification, no independence and no use of force".

But there was criticism from Chiu Yi, a lawmaker with the Kuomintang (KMT) party of president-elect Ma.

"I don't know who came up with the idea (of naming Lai). We all know about Lai's political position," he said.

"She is an ultra independence activist who follows Lee Teng-hui's lines," Chiu said, referring to Taiwan's first democratically elected president.

Lee is reviled by China for seeking a separate identity for Taiwan. During his term, Beijing lobbed missiles near the island, prompting the United States to deploy warships to the region.

Ma, who trounced Frank Hsieh of the governing pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party last month, formally takes office on May 20.


- AFP/so