Taiwan makes song and dance over snatched flag

TAIPEI, July 17 (Reuters) Taiwan protested today against some unchoreographed steps by folk dancers from China, which claims the island as its own, after they snatched a Taiwan flag from an Israeli stage.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today it had lodged a complaint with organisers of the 22nd International Folk Dance Festival in Israel over the Chinese troupe's removal of the Taiwan flag from the stage.

China has claimed sovereignty over neighbouring Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the democracy of 23 million people back under mainland rule, by force if necessary, and seeks to eliminate its participation in international organisations.

''This incident made us really mad. They have never tried to steal our flags before,'' said Antonio Chang, director general of the ministry's West Asia department. ''Usually (China) goes through diplomatic channels to protest against us.'' First, on July 4, the 10-person Chinese troupe removed Taiwan's flag from the Israeli stage, Chang said. Later in the day, Taiwan's 10-strong troupe carried the flags back on stage, he said.

The next day, the Chinese Embassy in Israel protested, saying Taiwan was not a nation. The organisers decided to ban all flags except the host's, Chang said -- but the China dancers displayed theirs again at a parade, prompting Taiwan to do the same.

Taiwan asked that its group be separated from the Chinese dancers at future annual events, Chang said.

REUTERS PD DS1315