From one storm to another...

2004-08-25 09:14

Taipei - A flight with Taiwan Premier Yu Shyi-kun on board was diverted to Japan due to a powerful typhoon, forcing an unscheduled visit likely to antagonize China.

The China Airlines flight was due to arrive at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek airport on Wednesday morning but was diverted to Okinawa in Japan to avoid Typhoon Aere, the Taiwan carrier said.

The storm packed winds of 140km per hour as it bore down on the island's capital

"The pilots had tried to fly back as scheduled, but then they found the winds around the airport were too severe to land," China Airlines spokesperson Roger Han said. Yu's arrival was postponed to 13:30.

The Taiwan government was tight-tipped over the incident but a Formosa television reporter travelling with Yu said the premier planned to use the opportunity to meet with Okinawa county magistrate and other Japanese government officials.

China regards Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, and angrily opposes any overseas visit by officials from the island.

Beijing filed a strong protest to Tokyo in April 2001 when the Japanese government granted an entry visa to Lee Teng-hui, former Taiwan president who Beijing labelled as 'splitist', for a follow-up to surgery he underwent in Taipei in 2000.

Tokyo switched its political recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1972, and has since barred official contacts with Taiwan.

Yu was returning from Latin America via the United States.

- AFP