Taipei - Hundreds of anti-China protesters clashed with riot police Wednesday evening when the protesters tried to prevent Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin from leaving a Taipei hotel where he was attending a banquet. The banquet at the Regent Hotel ended at 8:30 pm (1330 GMT), but the siege continued until after midnight, despite riot police's effort to disperse the protesters.
It was not clear if Chen, the highest level Chinese official to visit Taiwan in six decades, left the hotel. He arrived in Taipei on Monday and was staying at the Grand Hotel with a 60-member delegation.
The protest by members and supporters of the Taiwan's pro- independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) began at about 4:30 pm (0930 GMT).
Several protesters had entered the heavily-guarded hotel earlier, pretending to go there to drink coffee. Outside, protesters held up banners with the words "Taiwan People Unite" and "No Dealings with Bandits."
As Chen arrived at the hotel for the banquet, they ran into the lobby shouting "Taiwan and China are one country on each side (of the Taiwan Strait)!" and unfurled Taiwan's national flag. They were dragged away by police.
Outside the hotel, a relatively orderly protest turned violent after nightfall as the protesters, assuming the banquet had ended, tried to block Chen's limousine from leaving the hotel.
Not knowing which car carried Chen, protesters blocked every entrance of the five-star hotel and tried to prevent every car from leaving the hotel's basement car park.
Cable TV channel ETTV showed some protesters hitting the windows of departing cars, prodding them with Taiwanese flags, spitting on them or pelting them with eggs and plastic bottles.
A policeman collapsed after he was hit on the back of his head by a protester's club. Several protesters were also injured.
Two Chinese television reporters covering Chen's visit were also harassed and nearly beaten up as they were leaving the Regent Hotel.
Chai Lu, an anchorwoman for China Central Television (CCTV), was chased and pushed against a wall when some of the protesters recognized her.
Protesters chased her, trying to pull her hair, yelling "Go back to China! Go back to China!"
Chen Lin, the Beijing-based reporter for Hong Kong's Phoenix TV, followed Chai and was also harassed, the Central News Agency reported.
Police rescued the pair by pushing them into a police car.
Chen arrived in Taiwan on Monday for four days of talks with Taiwan's negotiator Chiang Ping-kun. On Tuesday, Chen and Chiang signed four pacts on a direct sea link, daily charter flights, direct postal services and food safety.
Organized and individual protests have followed Chen since his arrival, with more protests planned for Thursday when he is scheduled to meet Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou.
The DPP accuses Ma, who is seeking reconciliation and closer ties with China, of moving too close to China and endangering Taiwan's interests.
It plans to mobilize 100,000 members and supporters to besiege the Taipei Guest House to protest Chinese "bullying" of Taiwan when he meets Ma.
Their tactics are expected to include tying yellow ribbons on trees, throwing eggs at Chen and se off balloons and firecrackers.
Since his arrival, Chen has annoyed DPP members and many ordinary Taiwanese by refusing to address Taiwanese officials by their titles.
On Tuesday, Chen addressed Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council, with the informal "Ni" or "You" - instead of the more formal "Nin."
