Ms Lu was apparently denied entry to Indonesia at Jakarta International Airport on Wednesday, instead being allowed to travel on to the resort island of Bali after a lengthy delay.

Mainland China can persecute mainland Chinese - it is not qualified and has no right to persecute others

Annette Lu

Ms Lu said she was visiting Indonesia on holiday and China had no right to meddle in her travel plans.

However, there are many direct flights between Taipei and Bali each week and some Taiwanese sources have said she hoped to meet officials in Jakarta before flying to Bali.

Indonesia follows the "one China" principle, refusing to recognise Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a renegade province that will one day be reincorporated.

Tension over Taiwan has been high in the last two weeks since Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian raised the possibility of holding a referendum on independence for the island.

Beijing has long vilified Ms Lu, who has been an outspoken campaigner for Taiwanese independence.

China also regularly puts pressure on countries not to accept visits from Taiwanese leaders.

Once in Bali, a visibly angry Ms Lu told reporters: "Travelling is my basic right. Mainland China can persecute mainland Chinese. It is not qualified and has no right to persecute others."

Meeting disputes

The Reuters news agency reported that the Taiwanese Government said Ms Lu planned to meet Indonesian tourism officials in Bali.

But Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda insisted his government did not arrange or sanction the visit by Ms Lu, who on Thursday went shopping and to the beach.

"It is not correct that the government has arranged meetings between her and Indonesian officials, especially official meetings," he said.

China has labelled Annette Lu as "scum of the nation"

"We heard that Ms Lu was travelling to a third country, and for the trip she would need to make transit in Indonesia... that's why Ms Lu made transit in Bali."

An earlier statement from the Indonesian Government was more vague on what was known about Ms Lu's visit and when, though it stressed any visit was unofficial.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said Beijing had objected when it learned of the trip.

"We requested that the Indonesian Government adhere to the 'one China' policy, beware of the schemes of Taiwan authorities, and to take resolute measures to maintain friendly relations with China," he said.

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Chang Siao-yue, meanwhile, said Taipei would continue to try to boost its own diplomatic profile.

"We are a sovereign state and we have to stand up and walk out into the international community," she said.

In 1998, Taiwan's then Prime Minister Vincent Siew made an unannounced trip to Indonesia to discuss the regional financial crisis - a visit which also annoyed China.