Frances Marcus in Taipei: "The timing of the visit could increase political tensions"

The heads of the two semi-official bodies set up by China and Taiwan to conduct their limited dialogue have already met each other twice, once in Singapore and once on the mainland.

The Chinese delegation is now trying to agree to terms for the first visit to Taiwan by Wang Daohan, the head of China's Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait.

However our correspondent in Taipei said the visit by the Chinese delegation has been proceeded by bickering, with Taiwan accusing Beijing of foot-dragging.

Break in talks

China and Taiwan separated politically after a 1949 civil war, and their governments have no official contacts.

The two sides last had formal talks about their delicate relations four years ago, but China broke off the negotiations in anger over Taiwan's efforts to assert itself internationally.

Lee Teng-hui: popular leader

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that eventually must be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Taipei is keen for Wang Daohan to visit before the political run-up to presidential elections next year shifts into higher gear.

Beijing fears that the outcome of that contest could lead the island further along the path of increasing defacto independence pursued during the two terms of the popular incumbent president, Lee Teng-hui.

Different agendas

China is keen to start high-level talks on Taiwan's political future but Taiwan's government wants to keep the focus more on practical and humanitarian issues.

Taiwan has alarmed China by its interest in an anti-missile system that the United States and Japan are researching, but have not yet decided whether to use.

China is opposed to the research and has strongly warned against any attempt to sell it to Taiwan.

Zhu Rongji: threat of force remains

The Chinese Prime Minister, Zhu Rongji, said last week that China's missile batteries were not actually targeted at Taiwan.

But he also made it clear that Beijing had no intention of lifting its threat of force designed to deter Taiwan from abandoning the idea of eventual re-unification.

His comments were quickly dismissed by Taipei's defence ministry which claims it would not be interested in the anti-missile system if China were not targeting the island with missiles.