Lien, the honorary chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) taking part in the summit on behalf of President Ma Ying-jeou, and Obama greeted each other affectionately at a banquet hosted for leaders attending the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.

Lien was no stranger to Obama although it was their first encounter. Obama said “I know you” when they shook hands, telling Lien that his grand-uncle Prof. Charles Payne had already told him good things about Lien.

According to Lien, Obama asked him if he remembered Charles Payne who often spoke highly about his longtime close friend from Taiwan.

Lien and Payne, the younger brother of Obama's grandmother, became close friends when both studied at Chicago University four decades earlier, including sharing the same dormitory for about six years.

The two maintained close relations after Payne became a professor at Chicago University while Lien taught at universities on the U.S. East Coast before returning to Taiwan.

They had another reunion in 2007 when Lien was invited to Chicago University to deliver a speech in 2007. Obama himself also taught law at the same university for several years.

Lien told reporters that he gave President Obama the best regards from President Ma. He and Obama both expressed the wish of meeting again in future.

Concerning reporters' questions about his absence from an impromptu meeting of APEC leaders on global climate change yesterday morning because he was not invited, Lien said the gathering was held after a proposal from the Australian and Mexican leaders.

Lien said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd already informed him of the separate gathering and explained that there was no hostility or any intention of excluding Taiwan.

He said the hastily arranged meeting was held to discuss the U.N. conference on global climate change set for next month in Copenhagen, Denmark.

However, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ministry has expressed concern to both the Australian and Mexican governments about the move of not inviting Lien to the meeting.

He said the ministry held the view that all APEC leaders should be invited without exception to take part in the activities and discussion on any relevant issues during the APEC forum period.

Singaporean officials clarified that the spontaneously arranged meeting on global warming was not held under the APEC framework.

Taiwan is presently not a member of the U.N.