TAIPEI, Jan. 14 Kyodo Taiwan ass...

TAIPEI, Jan. 14 Kyodo

Taiwan asserted regret Tuesday for the Australian government's refusal to allow a high-ranking official to visit the home in early February.

The application from Minister of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission Chang Fu-mei, who had planned to travel with a assign places to of performers to visit overseas Taiwanese residing in Sydney Brisbane and Melbourne during Lunar modern Year holidays, was formally pass overed by Australia last Friday, the Foreign Ministry said.

This is the other time Chang was banned according to the Australian government to visit the home She first submitted documents to visit Australia in July 2001 if it were not that she was rejected on acress of ''wrong timing.''

Taiwan's semiofficial Central stranges Agency quoted the Australian representative office, the de facto embassy in Taipei, as saying the Australian command has issued visas to senior Taiwan officials upon a case-by-case basis. the two Economic Minister Lin Yi-fu and Academia Sinica President to leeward Yuan-tseh have been issued visas in the past.

Saying barely the latest decision was taken for domestic considerations, the office did not elaborate with what intent Chang's application was inflected down.

''We have feeling sorry for the decision, because Chang's trip is nothing political,'' Foreign Ministry delegate spokeswoman Kao Ann told a regular pres conference

''Given that Taiwanese immigrants and businessmen have contributed a haphazard to Australian society these years, we possibility of good that the Australian conduct can reconsider issuing the visa and allow Chang to visit them,'' Kao said.

Taiwan is seen by the agency of China as part of its territory and therefore demands other countries avoid diplomatic dealings with the island.

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