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Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
2009-08-05
TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the exiled leader of the Uighur minority. Melbourne International Film Festival's organisers have said that seven Chinese-language films were withdrawn after they refused Beijing's request to remove a documentary about World Uighur Congress leader Rebiya Kadeer. Taiwan's Government Information Office (GIO) said two Taiwanese short films -- "Joyce Agape" and "The Pursuit of What Was" -- will be screened, while feature film "Miao Miao" was withdrawn without its being consulted. "We deeply regret that the movie's overseas distributor, Hong Kong's Fortissimo Films, pulled the movie without notifying Taiwan and we protest such a move," the GIO said in a statement. Kadeer arrived in Sydney on Tuesday in a visit that has sparked strong protests from Beijing. She is due to attend Saturday's premiere of "Ten Conditions of Love," a film about her life. China has labelled the US-based Muslim minority leader a "criminal" and accuses her of inciting recent violence in the restive Xinjiang region, which left at least 197 dead. Ties between Taiwan and China have improved dramatically since the Beijing-friendly government of President Ma Ying-jeou took office last year.
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