Taiwan stops Uighur activist trip

China accuses Rebiya Kadeer of inciting violence - which she denies

Taiwan will not allow exiled Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer to visit the island as she had planned, a government official has said.

Ms Kadeer had been invited by an entertainer close to the opposition.

China has accused Ms Kadeer of orchestrating recent violence in Xinjiang - a charge she denies.

In July about 200 people were killed in ethnic riots between Uighurs and Han Chinese, in which mostly Han were killed.

Taiwan is self-ruled after breaking away from China at the end of the civil war in 1949. Beijing considers the island part of its territory.

CHINA'S UIGHURS Ethnically Turkic Muslims, mainly live in Xinjiang Made bid for independent state in 1940s Sporadic violence in Xinjiang since 1991 Uighurs worried about ethnic Han Chinese immigration and erosion of traditional culture Profile: Rebiya Kadeer China vows separatism crackdown

"We have decided not to allow Kadeer entry considering that her visit could affect national interest and social order," Interior Minister Jiang Yi-huah was quoted as saying to members of parliament.

Despite opposition from China, a documentary about Ms Kadeer was screened this week in Taiwan's second city, Kaohsiung.

Local tourism officials had spoken out against the move, Taiwanese media reported, fearing it would drive Chinese tourist numbers down.

Rebiya Kadeer heads the World Uighur Congress, which represents the Uighur community in exile.