Cross-Straits relations are facing yet another test as Uygur separatist Rebiya Kadeer has accepted an invitation to visit Taiwan, less than one month after the Dalai Lama's visit to the island.

The invitation was extended to Kadeer by the Taiwan Youth Anti-Communist Corps following a telephone discussion with Kadeer on Tuesday, AFP reported yesterday.

"Kadeer expressed her thanks for the invitation and said she will certainly visit Taiwan," Marie Lin of the organization was quoted as saying.

The pro-independence Corps, founded in June, is backed by Taiwan's pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

"Rebiya Kadeer hopes to be able to carry out face-to-face exchanges with various groups in Taiwan," said Dilxat Raxit, a Sweden-based spokesman for the World Uygur Congress, which Kadeer heads.

He said the timing of the meetings depend on Taiwan's ability to carry out "flexible and active diplomacy".

The island's "premier" Wu Den-yih said a decision on the visit would be announced by the end of the week.

The invitation puts Taiwan's government - voted to power last year on a promise to improve ties with the mainland - in a no-win situation, according to analysts.

If Taiwan's government grants a visa to Kadeer, who is alleged to have orchestrated the deadly July 5 riot in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the mainland will be infuriated, while pro-independence groups at home and rights groups abroad will be angered if she is not, experts said.

"This is a decision-making dilemma for the government as whatever it does there will be criticism," said George Tsai, a political scientist at Chinese Culture University in Taipei.

China protested a visit by the Dalai Lama to the island in late August in the wake of Typhoon Morakot.

"But the difference is Kadeer does not have a shield of religion," said Ni Yongjie, an expert from the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies.

"It will make things ugly if (Taiwan leader) Ma Ying-jeou approves the visit and provides the island as a base for activity for Kadeer," he said.

Ma has been pushing for closer cross-Straits ties since coming to power last year.

On the other hand, the DPP is struggling for attention by destroying cross-Straits ties, he said.

"One thing for sure is that the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations can't be changed, but I think it's time for both sides to build channels for political communications," Ni said.

He stressed that it is improper for Ma to repeatedly test the mainland's tolerance, and both sides should have a mechanism to tackle difficult issues.

Tsai warned that the mainland could punish Taiwan by not signing a trade pact or financial cooperation agreement or by vetoing Taiwan's plan to join specialized United Nations agencies.

Beijing is already simmering over the screening this week of a documentary about Kadeer in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city, triggering a wave of cancelled hotel reservations by mainland tour groups.

Taiwan media reported more than 3,000 hotel reservations were canceled in Kaohsiung, the second largest city in Taiwan, during September.

At least 200 reservations for October have also been called off, and booking is scarce for the mainland's Oct 1 National Day holiday, the Taipei-based China Times reported.

The paper quoted unnamed tourism operators as saying the cancellations have caused an estimated 6 million New Taiwan dollars (US$185,000) in lost revenue.

Wu Rong-yuan, chairman of Taiwan's Labor Party, said both the DPP and Ma Ying-jeou should learn a lesson from the Dalai Lama's visit.

"Taiwan doesn't want to be placed in the shadow of violence," he told China Daily.

"It is not only sensitive, it is total political intrigue which does nothing good for the people of Taiwan. I hope the government doesn't permit it," he said.

(China Daily September 24, 2009)