Taipei - A Taiwan-based Chinese dissident on Saturday blasted the United States, calling the country "as crooked as China" for rejecting an asylum request made by him and two other Chinese dissidents.

Cai Lujun made the denouncement in an open letter, following the rejection of his asylum request by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto US embassy in Taiwan.

AIT said it turned down the application because "Taiwan has well- established and reliable mechanisms to assist asylum-seekers and to protect their rights," so the case should be handled by Taiwan.

But Cai said he disagreed that Taiwan has sound mechanisms to assist asylum seekers, citing delays, difficulties in finding work and expenses.

"We are like half ghost and half human being and like spiritual beggars, yet the US calls this 'well-established and reliable mechanism.' Even Taiwan officials will blush if they hear this," he wrote in the open letter.

Cai, 40, a businessman in Hebei Province, China, was jailed for three years for criticizing the government. He arrived in Taiwan in July 2007 to seek asylum.

"I never expect that the so-called democratic Taiwan and democratic US are the same. If Taiwan and the US just as crooked and shameless like China, why do Taiwan and the US support the fight fight against dictatorship?!" he asked.

He and four other Chinese dissidents, three of whom arrived four years ago, asked to be allowed to remain in Taiwan or to seek asylum in a third country.

Taiwan has kept delaying them asylum on the grounds that the parliament has yet to pass an asylum law.

Taipei also agreed to assist them in finding asylum in a third country, but the effort has been futile because most countries recognize China and do not want to offend Beijing.

The five men's patience is running out because without an ID card, they cannot find work or take advantage of government benefits.

On Thursday, Cai and and two other Chinese dissidents Wu Yalin, 49, and Chen Rongli, 39, went to the AIT in Taipei to apply asylum from Washington.

Cai and Wu climbed over the wall into the AIT compound while Chen waited outside.

On Friday, the AIT rejected the trio's asylum application, saying Taiwan has a sound asylum system and the case should be settled by Taiwan.

Cai believes Taiwan refuses to grant the five Chinese dissidents asylum for fear of hurting Taipei-Beijing ties, which have improved since Ma Ying-jou became president on May 20. (dpa)