China denies any connection with detention of Chen

Chen Shui-bian is reviled by the mainland's Communist authorities for rejecting their assertion that Taiwan is Chinese territory and his arrest is likely to cheer them and could boost their relations with the island, but the public response from Beijing has been muted.

Fan Liqing, a spokeswoman for the Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters that Beijing "had noted" Chen's detention amid a corruption scandal, but she expressed no opinion on the allegations against him.

Fan rejected Chen's claim that his detention was linked to moves to improve ties between the two sides, which split during a civil war in 1949, calling that "a pure fabrication."

"I think we can all imagine the reasons why he would say something like that," Fan said at a regularly scheduled news conference.

Fan also said violent protests among opposition supporters in Taipei during a visit by Beijing's top envoy last week would not impede future exchanges between the sides, saying she expected those to grow ever closer.

"We hope these recent irrational acts on Taiwan will have no negative effects on private exchanges and visits by people from the mainland to Taiwan," Fan said.

Chen, who stepped down in May after eight years in office, is reviled by China for rejecting its assertion that Taiwan is a part of China that must eventually be brought under Beijing's control. China has threatened to invade Taiwan if it declares formal independence and froze most political contacts between the sides during Chen's time in office.

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