Indonesia on Friday accused Taiwan's leader Chen Shui-bian of abusing
permission to allow him to stop off to refuel his aircraft on his way home from
a foreign visit.
The incident also led to Beijing making "solemn representations" to Jakarta.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said on Friday the country
was gravely concerned about the move.
"We express deep regret over the event. We demand Indonesia honour its
commitment to the one-China policy with practical action so as to maintain
Sino-Indonesian ties," Liu said.
Chen landed late on Thursday on the Indonesian island of Batam on his way
back from a Latin American visit.
He met an Indonesian lawmaker and toured local factories before returning to
Taiwan on Friday afternoon, according to Taiwan media reports.
But Indonesian officials denounced Chen for abusing permission that only
allowed him to land to refuel.
"The permit that was given was for a technical landing," Indonesian Foreign
Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Friday.
"We regret the fact that Chen left the airport and travelled around the
island," he added. "That was an abuse of the permit given."
Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yuri Thamrin said: "We regret the fact
that there were activities outside that technical fuelling."
Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Legal, Political and Security Affairs,
Widodo Adi Suscipto, said Chen's move prompted President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono to immediately send a verbal warning to the governor of Riau Islands
province, where Batam is located.
"The president called the Riau Islands governor to ask him to report about
activities beyond the technical needs of (Chen's) plane's arrival in Batam," he
said.
"Our foreign policy sticks to the one-China policy. This principle must be
fully understood by all government officials at central and regional levels," he
added.
Chen's surprise stop in Libya on Wednesday and Indonesia came after his
four-day visit to Paraguay and Costa Rica.
Chen had turned down Washington's offer of a refuelling stop in Alaska, after
the US refused his request for stopovers in San Francisco or New York. But his
so-called "transit diplomacy" has drawn words of caution from Washington.
And American Institute in Taiwan Director Stephen Young
on Thursday warned Taiwan against addressing the "independence" issue in its
"constitutional reforms."
