China accused President Lee Teng-hui of embarking on a doomed attempt to split Taiwan from China.

The ruling Communist Party newspaper, the People's Daily, said any attempt by Taiwan to challenge the one-China principle "will fail".

It said any effort to deny that Taiwan was a part of China was "overrating one's strength like an ant trying to topple a tree."

China was infuriated by President Lee's suggestion, made in an interview on German radio last week, that Taiwan and China should see each other as two separate countries.

President Lee all but disavowed Beijing's hallowed one-China principle, which holds that Taiwan and China can only be seen as a single country.

"Lee Teng-hui has totally stripped away his disguise and revealed all his splittist cards," the People's Daily said.

US seeks clarification

A US State Department spokesman said Washington continued to support the principle that there was only one China.

He said the US wanted to know the significance of President Lee's remarks.

Some commentators have suggested that President Lee is seeking to take advantage of a nadir in US-China relations, following the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, to redefine Taiwan's status as a lasting legacy before he leaves office next year.

Other observers think that President Lee may also want to strengthen Taiwan's position in any talks about its relations with China.

Visit in doubt

As China kept up its angry rhetoric, a landmark visit to Taiwan by China's top negotiator on reunification was in jeopardy

Wang Daohan, head of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (Arats) had been expected to meet with his Taiwanese counterpart Koo Chenfu, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation.

An Arats spokesman said Mr Wang was shocked by the Taiwanese leader's statement and was awaiting clarification from Mr Koo.

Electioneering

The Chinese press has seen President Lee's remarks in the context of presidential elections planned for Taiwan next year.

"Holding a banner of seeking independence and 'freedom' for Taiwanese, 'President' Lee is actually paving the way for his year 2000 election," the China Daily said on Tuesday.

President Lee, re-elected in Taiwan's first presidential election in 1996, cannot stand for another term in office, but is a staunch supporter of current Vice President Lien Chan for the post.

'Equal entities'

China has refused to rule out the use of military force against the island should it declare independence.

According to Taiwan's official guidelines on relations with the mainland, adopted eight years ago, the two sides should deal with each other as what are termed "equal political entities".