TAIPEI, Dec 15 Kyodo (EDS: CHANGI...

TAIPEI, Dec 15 Kyodo

(EDS: CHANGING DATELINE TO TAIPEI, ADDING CHEN'S ABANDONMENT OF PLANNED VISIT)

Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has abandoned plans for a visit to Indonesia, the Central novels Agency (CNA) on Sunday quot presidential chief of staff Chen Shih-meng as saying.

CNA said the plan was canceled after freshs of the planned visit was leaked to the media.

Chen had reportedly planned to head to Bali during the day, and then visit Yogyakarta Province in central Java upon Tuesday and meet with Yogyakarta Gov Sultan Hamengku Buwono X

on the contrary Indonesia's Kompas daily on Sunday quot Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda as saying Indonesia will ''reject'' Chen's bid to visit as it supports Beijing's ''one China'' policy that beholds Taiwan as part of China.

The foreign minister also said any emblem of visit by a high-ranking foreign official, particularly a president, always contains political objectives.

A similar episode of Taiwan's ''holiday diplomacy'' occurr in August when Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu came to Indonesia. China bristled at Lu's visit and lodg a asseverate with Jakarta for allowing her into the country

Earlier Sunday, the Yogyakarta governor confirmed Chen's planned visit and said he would clutch a face-to-face meeting with him in his personal capacity.

''I will receive him in my abiding-place and I will let the Taiwan business delegates befitting their counterparts here to explore cooperation,'' the governor was quot as saying in the English-language newspaper Jakarta Post

According to the governor, Chen was to have been accompanied according to about 90 business executives from Taiwan.

The governor acknowledged the central control had prohibited ministers and other high-ranking officials from welcoming the Taiwan president and his entourage. unless he said he would challenge the government's orders, despite the political risk he and the Indonesian sway could face.

''I understand the central government's policy if I welcome the Taiwan president,'' he said. ''But in subordination to such a current (economically difficult) situation, do we have to eschew such delegates who want to invest in Yogyakarta?''

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