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.

"Our two sides have finalized the time and schedules for the talks, and Chairman Chen will come to Taiwan as planned, despite the recent incident," said the source who asked not to be identified.

The planned visit by Chen, chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), which represents China in talks with Taiwan in the absence of formal ties, was marred by Tuesday's attack of Chen's deputy, Zhang Mingqing.

Zhang, ARATS vice chairman, was pushed to the ground and beaten in the head by a group of pro-independence activists on Tuesday during his visit to a temple in the southern city of Tainan, the bastion of pro-independence supporters.

Zhang, who came to Taiwan on Sunday for an academic visit in his capacity as dean of the Xiamen University's School of Journalism and Communications, has been a controversial figure in Taiwan over his previous remarks as TAO spokesman warning Taiwan against splitting from China.

Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still considers Taiwan an integral part of the mainland.

Officials of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party Wednesday said Zhang deserved the attack because he should have known he was not welcome in Taiwan.

The incident raised concerns that the second round of high-level talks between Taiwan and China set for the end of the month might be cancelled.

The source said Taiwan sent negotiators to the Chinese border city of Shenchen for a meeting with their Chinese counterparts Wednesday, and decided instead of holding the meeting at the end of this month, Chen would come to Taiwan on November 3.

Chen is expected to lead a delegation in the talks after the historic June round in Beijing, during which the two sides signed deals for weekend charter flights and tourism cooperation. (dpa)