Taiwan slams Venice film festival for "China" label

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's government protested to the Venice International Film Festival on Tuesday for labeling the island part of China in its movie line-up.

The Government Information Office, which promotes Taiwan's popular Chinese-language arthouse films, contacted its Italian counterpart to demand the removal of the second word from "Taiwan, China" references on Web sites promoting the August 29-September 8 festival.

A release by Ang Lee, who directed the Academy Award-winning Brokeback Mountain, is labeled "USA/China/Taiwan," because Lee lives in the United States but was born on the island.

China has seen self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory rather than as a separate country since the island broke away from Mao Zedong's Communists after civil war in 1949. China has threatened to take the island by force if necessary.

It also seeks to lower Taiwan's profile by asking sports and cultural organizations to add "China" to Taiwan's entries.

"The deputy head of the office stated that to protect our dignity and our interests is the mission of our colleagues stationed overseas," the information office said in a statement.

Five Taiwan films are set to show at the festival, during which there will also be a party called "Taiwan Night".