``It is ridiculous to say that the so-called `overseas' [organization] has anything to do with Taiwan,'' said Michael You, vice chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, in a telephone interview. He said he only knew of the incident ``through newspaper reports.''

Beijing Tuesday said Ching, a senior corespondent for the Singapore Straits Times, was a spy who had confessed to having been hired by ``overseas'' intelligence organizations.

The one-sided accusation - made even before he is officially charged and with Ching being held incommunicado - has deepened the controversy.

Beijing's use of the word ``overseas'' appears to single out Taiwan.

Ching's wife, Mary Lau, said in an RTHK program Wednesday that she believed Beijing was referring to Taiwan by using the term ``overseas'' instead of ``foreign.''

But You, whose council is responsible for cross-Straits policies under the island's executive yuan, sharply rejected the allegation.

``The case has nothing to so with cross-Straits relations. It just indicates that Beijing has not relinquished its autocratic rule,'' You said.

He said, however, the Taiwanese government was concerned and that the incident had triggered ``grave concern in the international community.''

When asked whether his organization had asked Beijing about the incident, You said there was ``no channel'' through which to do so.

Meanwhile, repercussions of the arrest continued to unfold Wednesday, with Washington calling for an explanation. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States is greatly concerned and will ask Beijing about Ching's status.

He branded the incident as China's attempt to stifle the free flow of information.

Beijing Wednesday abruptly removed the transcript of Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kong Quan's comments - made on Tuesday at a press briefing - on Ching from the ministry's Web site.

This spawned further uncertainty about Beijing's position, while Lau theorized it could, at best, be a precursor to Ching's early release.

The ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday night there was no new information.

Also on the RTHK program, Lau said that, in early May, she had sought a meeting with former acting chief executive Donald Tsang in the hope that he would intervene, but was rejected.

The Democratic Party criticized Tsang's reported rejection, saying that the SAR government was obliged to protect Ching's basic civil rights and to inquire about his state of health.

Tsang, who is expected to officially announce his candidacy today for the Chief Executive position, admitted he knew of Ching's case last month, but insisted he had done what he could.

``I immediately informed the Security Bureau and our liaison office in Beijing,'' he said.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee stressed the SAR government has offered all possible help to Ching's family in accordance with established procedures.

He admitted the SAR government's hands were tied as it could not intervene with law enforcement and legal proceedings on the mainland under the one country two systems concept.

According to his colleagues and family Ching, a Hong Kong citizen and a Singapore permanent resident, was arrested last month while trying to track down the manuscript of sensitive interviews with late former Communist Party leader Zhao Ziyang in advance of the anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square massacre. Zhao was stripped of his titles and his freedom was strictly limited after he sided with students during the Tiananmen protests.

The Standard has learned that the case is considered ``very serious'' and that even the Public Security Bureau - which normally investigates such incidents - has been denied access to Ching by the National Security Bureau, which directly reports to the central government.

The arrest was not disclosed for more than a month until Ching's wife announced it to the media last Sunday.

Top executives of the Straits Times met with Lau in Hong Kong Wednesday to discuss legal matters, according to a spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the World Association of Newspapers, an alliance of more than 18,000 publications on five continents, has demanded Ching's immediate release.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, China has jailed more reporters than any other country over the past six months.

dennis.chong@singtaonewscorp.com