Taiwanese Premier’s Travels Anger Beijing

China canceled a high-level mission to Kiev in retaliation for Taiwan Prime Minister Lien Chan’s visit to Ukraine to receive an honorary degree from Kiev University, a trip Beijing sees as part of a Taiwanese campaign to gain independence. China’s Communist rulers, who see Taiwan as a renegade province, have tried repeatedly to prevent the island’s Nationalist government leaders from breaking free of the diplomatic isolation imposed by Beijing. “It would be very inappropriate and uncomfortable for the delegation to be in Kiev at the same time” as Lien, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the Ukrainian capital said.