Taipei - A visit by China's highest-ranking official to Taiwan since 1949 continued to draw protests Thursday from Taiwanese concerned that his visit could lead to eventual Chinese control of Taiwan.

Thursday's event - a five-minute meeting at the Taipei Guest House between Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin - was held as thousands of Taiwanese outside shouted "Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China," and "No selling out of Taiwan."

Singing Taiwanese songs and sporting yellow ribbons saying "Taiwan Is My Country," the protesters clashed with police when they tried to break through the barbed wire barricades.

The closely watched meeting - the highest-level contact since Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949 - fell short of general expectations that it would be an hour long and touch on a range of political and economic issues.

In a brief statement, Ma simply applauded the result of the talks between Chen and his Taiwan counterpart Chiang Pin-kung, in which the two signed agreements Tuesday on direct daily flights, air cargo charters and shipping and food safety cooperation.

But he also pointed out political differences between China and Taiwan.

"It is undeniable that differences and challenges still exist across the strait, especially in the aspect of Taiwan security and international space," he said.

Beijing considers Taiwan an integral part of China that has no political sovereignty and must be brought back into its fold one day.

Ma said it was necessary for the two sides not to deny the political existence of the other and to work hard to increase cooperation and benefits under the basis of peaceful development and equality.

After the meeting, protesters broke through the barricades to march toward the presidential office and clash with police, hurling eggs and plastic bottles at the officers.

Several policemen and protesters were injured.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), organizer of the protests, called off the protest Thursday afternoon.

However, protests resumed later in the day. Protesters gathered near the Grand Hotel, where Chen and his delegation are staying, to give him a "proper send-off" before his visit to Taiwan concludes Friday.

Protesters clashed with riot police blocking access to the hotel - throwing plastic bottles, stones, garbage and plastic bags containing human excrement at police. A young man tried to race his motorbike into the police and was arrested.

At both venues, protesters and onlookers jeered at the police and blew plastic horns, hoping Chen could hear the noise.

In a Wednesday night clash that lingered into Thursday morning, some 50 policeman, two reporters and several protesters were injured, cable TV channel TVBS reported. Protesters trapped Chen inside a hotel for six hours.

Ma held a news conference in the morning before meeting Chen to condemn the incident. He insisted his efforts toward reconciliation with China were not selling out Taiwan to Beijing.

"Assembly and demonstrations must be legal," Ma said, referring to the protest which turned violent overnight. "The DPP chairwoman promised to hold a peaceful protest, but what happened at the Regent Hotel yesterday is regrettable."

Throughout the meeting, Chen has nettled some Taiwanese nationalists by refusing to use titles when addressing Taiwanese officials. Chen routinely addressed Ma as "nin," the polite form of "you."

The DPP has accused Ma and his Kuomintang (KMT) party of being China-friendly and trying to sell out Taiwan to the mainland.

"If Ma can't defend his own title, what else can he defend for us?" asked DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

Ma denied the DPP's accusation that he was betraying Taiwan's interests to China.

"Our policy is no unification, no independence, no occupation," Ma said. "On defending our country's sovereignty, I have not made an inch of sacrifice." (dpa)