Lu said she did not know how to comment on the latest change in Lee's attitude that has seen him laud China.

"Lee is such an odd person. He joined the communist party as a young man, and later the Kuomintang to eventually become its chairman," Lu was cited by the Central News Agency as saying Thursday in Washington D.C.

"He served 12 years as president of the Republic of China. As he was smart enough, he never spent a single day in prison," Lu said.

"After retiring as president, he became one of the most provocative leaders of the Taiwan independence movement. But now he has changed his attitude, lauding China as Taiwan's friend," Lu said. China has described Lee as a person belonging to the "dustbin of history" for advocating Taiwan's independence, and refused to hold talks with Taiwan during the last few years of his presidency.

Cross-strait tensions have been easing steadily since Ma Ying-jeou became president last year.

But Lu, from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, urged the U.S. government to carefully assess the latest development in cross-strait relations.

She argued that by encouraging Taiwan to "tilt" towards China, Washington may be helping Beijing set up a "trap" for Taipei.

She also urged Ma to call a national affairs conference as soon as possible, bringing together representatives from the ruling and opposition camps to explore ways for the country's long-term stability and development.

Lu said that Ma has never talked to opposition leaders, or contacted former President Chen Shui-bian or her since taking office.

But she also said the DPP must not be blind to the cross-strait development.

The DPP must prepare itself if it wants to play a role in shaping the relations between Taiwan and China in the future, Lu said.