Taiwan has pulled out of a ceremony to sign a pact on migrant workers' rights after Thailand raised problems about Taiwan's labour minister attending the ceremony.

Thailand was worried that mainland China would be angered if it played host to a government minister from Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rebel province.

Taiwan's Labour Affairs Council (LAC) has decided to cancel the meeting indefinitely to register its anger, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported.

The row leaves the agreement - aimed at helping Thai migrant workers find work without paying private employment agencies - hanging in the balance.

'Not satisfied'

Taiwanese officials have also raised the possibility that they will restrict visas for migrants from Thailand, many of whom work in the construction industry.

Labour minister Chen Chu has said Taiwan "will consider revising our bilateral relations on labour affairs", according to local press reports.

Thailand's foreign minister has denied that Ms Chen was refused a visa, while she insists she was officially invited.

Taiwan's LAC has said it is "not satisfied with the Thai government's explanation of the visa situation".

Thailand's foreign minister said the meeting had merely been postponed to let the Thai side consider how to upgrade the ceremony to ministerial level.

"I think the director-general or department chief is enough to represent Taiwan at the ceremony," said Thai foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai.

Thailand does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan as it recognises Beijing as the legitimate government of China and accepts Beijing's "One China" policy.

Migrants' plight

Remittances sent home by migrant workers are worth about $400m a year.

Thai migrants make up at least a third of the 300,000 foreign workers in Taiwan.

The accord was to have set up a framework for Taiwanese firms to hire migrants through government agencies instead of private employers.

The new system would cut out high fees paid to middle men, who usually pocket about 200,000 baht ($8,300) from each job seeker.

The other main suppliers of migrant labourers to Taiwan are Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.