Taipei  -  A former premier of Taiwan on Tuesday warned vice president-elect Vincent Siew to uphold the island's sovereignty when he attends the Bo'ao economic forum in China later this week.

"If he goes by what he has promised, he should uphold the sovereign status of Taiwan if he is to meet any Chinese leaders," said Su Tseng-chang, referring to a possible meeting between Siew and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Siew is leading a nine-member delegation of business executives, in his role as chairman of the private Cross-Straits Common Market Foundation, to the three-day forum beginning Friday on the Chinese island of Hainan.

Siew is expected to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao, who will attend the opening of the regional forum. That has raised concern among the Taiwan pro-independence camp that Siew, who is to become vice president on May 22, might appease Hu and sell out Taiwan to China.

Both Siew and president-elect Ma Ying-jeou are friendly to China. Their Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT) favours an eventual union between Taiwan and China under democracy.

Su was the running mate of pro-independence presidential candidate Frank Hsieh, who lost March 22 election. He said the KMT promised during the campaign that they would protect Taiwan's sovereignty and identity.

"It is time to prove what they have said is true or merely lip service, and Siew should make use of his meeting with the Chinese leaders to asset Taiwan's self-rule status," Su said.

He said Siew should also make Chinese leaders acknowledge the separate interpretations of "one China," referred to in a 1992 consensus as a basis for resumption of cross-strait talks with Beijing.

Siew said Monday he would not sell out or belittle Taiwan. He urged the pro-independence camp to look at the issue in a positive manner, saying Taiwan must reach out to avoid being marginalized.

Taiwan and China split at the end of a civil war in 1949, but Beijing still considers Taiwan an integral part of China that must be brought back to its fold if necessary by force. (dpa)