Taipei - Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party is to stage an anti-China protest on Saturday, to be followed by a series of demonstrations when Chinese top envoy Chen Yunlin visits the island next month, the party leader said Friday.

"We will start a series of events, including a large-scale march in Taipei on Saturday, to make our voices known to Chen Yunlin during his Taiwan visit that we do not want military threats, tainted food, and suppression of our sovereignty from China," said DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

Taipei - Taiwan stocks shed more than 3 per cent Thursday, over possible Taipei-Beijing tension arising from upcoming anti-China demonstrations.

The TAIEX index fell 150.89 points, or 3.19 per cent, to close at 4,579.62.

Analysts attributed the fall to the plunge of major Asian stock markets - with South Korean shares dipping more than 9 per cent and Japanese shares down more than 7 per cent in mid-morning trading - and possible cross-strait tension arising from anti-China protests planned Saturday by Taiwan separatists.

Taipei - A Taiwan court Thursday sentenced a Singaporean businessman to two years and four months in prison over the embezzlement of 30 million US dollars intended to be used to persuade Papua New Guinea (PNG) to switch diplomatic recognition to from China Taipei.

"The court has found Wu Shih-tsai guilty of forgery of document(s) and defamation and thus sentenced him to two years and four months in prison," said the Taipei District Court in its verdict.

Taipei- Taiwan said Thursday it has set November 3 as the date for it and China to begin a second round of high-level talks in Taipei, despite a recent attack on a Chinese envoy by pro-independence activists during his Taiwan visit.

"After a series of discussions between our two sides, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) has strongly suggested that the meeting held on November 3" in Taipei, said Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).

Taipei - Taiwan's stocks closed 2.72 per cent lower amid a bearish sentiment triggered by Wall Street's sharp overnight losses as well as a dismal global and local economic outlook, dealers said.

The TAIEX index opened nearly 4 per cent lower in response to the overnight fall of Wall Street. Government funds moved by mid-morning to buy strongly, helping to somewhat ease the slide.

The index closed at 4730.51 points, a drop of 132.08 points or 2.72 per cent.

Taipei - Taiwan and China are likely to hold second round of high-level talks in Taipei on November 3, despite a recent attack of a Chinese envoy by pro-independence activists during his visit to the island, a government source said on Thursday.

The Mainland Affairs Council, the island's top China policy planning body, was expected to hold a news conference at 4 p. m. (0800 GMT) in Taipei to announce that top China negotiator Chen Yunlin would arrive in Taiwan for the talks between November 3 and November 7, the source, who requested to remain anonymous, said.