TAIWAN President Lee Teng-hui will go ahead with a diplomatically sensitive trip to the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand despite a warning by China against the visits.
Mr Lee will leave today on a tour designed to strengthen Taiwan's economic and political ties with the three countries in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, Taiwan's evening newspapers quoted unnamed sources as saying.
He will be accompanied by 40 officials, including Foreign Minister Fredrick Chien, and several top Taiwan businessmen, who will discuss investment projects.
The trip, to end on February 16, is billed as a ''private vacation'' during the Lunar New Year holiday period because of political sensitivities.
The tour will be Mr Lee's second overseas trip since assuming office in 1988.
He visited Singapore in 1989, the first time a Taiwan president had gone abroad in 12 years.