Chinese envoy meets with Taiwan's president

In a bid to keep protesters off-balance, Taiwan held the meeting between Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin and President Ma Ying-jeou five hours earlier than announced. Hundreds of riot police were deployed near barricades layered with barbed wire, but a few demonstrators still managed to get to the site in time.

"Taiwan is a democracy," said Thomas M.F. Yeh, vice chairman of Polaris Securities and a former Taiwanese official. "That's our system."

Today was the fourth day of Chen's trip, each day marked by a variety of protests that underscore the continued division in Taiwanese society over how far to engage with China and under what terms. Ma has made improved relations with the mainland a cornerstone policy since he was elected in March, part of a bid to jump-start the island's economy and end decades of enmity across the Taiwan Strait.

On Tuesday, Chen signed a long-anticipated deal that will allow direct passenger and cargo flights and ocean shipping service across the 100-mile strait. Previously the services have been forced to pass through third-party air or ocean territory, adding time and expense. That gathering also was marked by protests.

The two sides have been divided since 1949, when Nationalists fled to the island, leaving the Communists in control of China. Beijing has long vowed to bring the self-governing island under its control by force if necessary.

A great deal of public speculation leading up to the meeting centered on whether Chen would refer to Ma as "president," given that China views the island as a breakaway province.

A compromise of sorts was struck in the five-minute meeting. A Taiwanese master of ceremonies announced that the "president had arrived" as Ma entered the room. Ma then greeted Chen as the "president" of the Chinese negotiating body, which he is. At which point Chen avoided using any title with Ma, using an honorific form of "you" as he handed over a painting of a horse as a gift.

"The development fits the expectations of the people of both sides and will contribute to cross-strait stability and prosperity," Ma said as network cameras rolled. "But we cannot deny that differences and challenges still exist, such as Taiwan's security and Taiwan's position in the international community."

The nomenclature sleight of hand failed to impress some critics.

"As president of Taiwan, Ma Ying-jeou should insist on Taiwan's sovereignty," said Jeremy Li, a university professor in Taipei who was out protesting in front of the hotel where the officials had dinner Wednesday. "You can't say, 'You don't need to call me president; we don't need to hang up flags.' He's humiliating himself."

Earlier in the day, Ma sought to respond to charges by the opposition, including leaders of the Democratic Progressive Party, that he was selling out Taiwan.

"Taiwan's status has not been undermined nor its sovereignty weakened" by forging closer ties with China, Ma told reporters at a news conference. "I did not concede an inch of Taiwan's sovereignty, so as president I have not made any mistakes."

Magnier is a Times staff writer. Sui is a special correspondent.

mark.magnier@latimes.com