Taiwan foreign minister cancels trip to Malawi

Taipei - Mystery surrounded a trip by Taiwan's foreign minister to Malawi on a mission to try to rescue diplomatic ties between the two countries when he cancelled the visit to the African country, reports said early Friday in Taipei.

The Central News Agency (CNA), in a dispatch from Malawi, said Foreign Minister James Huang - who was due to arrive there earlier Thursday - had cancelled the visit for unknown reasons.

Taiwan's ambassador to Malawi, Chuang Hsun-kai told CNA that the trip had been cancelled and he did not know where Huang was.

Huang and his aides left Taipei on Wednesday evening to make a last-ditch effort to prevent Malawi from switching recognition from Taiwan to China.

It was to have been Huang's second trip to Malawi within a month. Between the two trips, Malawi had sent two ministers to Beijing to sign a memorandum of understanding to pave the way for launching diplomatic ties.

Malawian press said President Bingu wa Mutharika had approved recognizing China in view of Beijing's growing political and economic power.

To open ties with China, Malawi must first cut ties with Taiwan because China requires Beijing's allies to accept the 'one-China' policy.

On Thursday, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Foebe Yeh confirmed that Huang had flown to Malawi.

She said Taiwan treasured its 41-year-old relationship with Malawi, but China has offered a six billion US dollar check to Malawi and Taiwan does not want to compete with China in dollar diplomacy.

Malawi is one of the 24 mostly-small nations that recognize Taiwan. Some 170 countries recognize China and regard Taiwan as China's breakaway province.