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Chinese official attacked by Taiwanese protesters

By Richard Spencer | Telegraph UK

An image from television footage shows Zhang Mingqing (C), vice chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), falling after he was pushed by protesters during a visit to a temple in Tainan 21 October 2008.China Television Company/Taiwan

A senior Chinese official on a fence-mending tour of Taiwan has cut short his visit after being attacked by protesters.

Zhang Mingqing, vice president of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, was surrounded by a group of activists as he visited a temple in the city of Tainan in the south of the island.

They pushed and jostled him to the ground, knocking his glasses off.

Today he left for Beijing, telling reporters at Kaohsiung airport: “Why am I leaving early? The place where I was hurt is sore, and my head is a bit dizzy.”

Mr Zhang’s organisation is an officially-backed body used by Beijing to negotiate with Taiwan. Beijing and Taipei do not formally recognise each other’s governments.

The election of a new Taiwan president, Ma Ying-jeou, in March has improved relations between the two, as he opposes trying to move the self-governing island towards independence. China has threatened to retake the island by force if that were to happen.

However, supporters of Mr Ma’s predecessor, Chen Shui-bian, believe he has “sold out” to the mainland.

About 200 pro-independence activists heckled Mr Zhang when he addressed the Tainan National University of the Arts on Monday evening, a day before the incident at the temple. Tainan was Mr Chen’s power base.

Mr Zhang said he needed to seek treatment for his injuries in Beijing, and that he did not want to bring more trouble on the local authorities.

“The police put a lot of manpower to protect my safety and I feel very bad causing them trouble. This should not have happened,” he said. “This violent incident was caused by a few people. It didn’t represent the 23 million Taiwanese people.”

The Chinese government issued an angry protest in response to the incident.

Copyright © 2008 Telegraph Media Group Limited

Published in Telegraph UK