TAIPEI, March 31 (AFP) - Taiwan Monday brushed aside Beijing's first reported offer to allow the Taiwanese president to serve as the vice president of China once the two sides are reunified.

Japanese newspapers in Tokyo reported that Chinese President Jiang Zemin had mentioned the offer to visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda during their talks in Beijing over the weekend.

"The Chinese side has told the Taiwanese that after reunification they can continue their capitalist system and we won't send any mainland officials to Taiwan," Jiang was quoted as saying.

"And we can invite some Taiwanese to fill some central political positions (on the mainland) and it is possible to invite a Taiwanese to become vice president," he added.

But an official at the Taiwanese presidential office said: "Our president is the president of the Republic of China. Why should he only serve as the vice president (of China)?"

Taiwan and Beijing both claim to be the sole and rightful government of China, after nationalist forces fled here in 1949 at the end of a civil war with communist forces.

The Republic of China is the official title of the nationalist island.

Jiang again reiterated the "one country, two systems" idea under which Hong Kong will be governed after it returns to Chinese rule on July 1. But the system has been categorically rejected by Taiwan.

Jiang's offer was also rejected by Taiwan's chief official in drafting mainland affairs policy.

"In democratic countries, all leadership positions are elected by popular votes and not given by any individuals," Kao Koong-lian, chairman of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said.

He added that Jiang's remarks also underscored the wide differing views on democracy held by the two sides.

"The ROC's position is very clear," the presidential office official added.

"That is that we are forging ahead with a system of freedom, democracy and equitable distribution of wealth."

Both Beijing and Taipei want reunification of China but on different terms.

In addition, the presidential office rejected Jiang's concerns about what he said were the recent activities engaged by some "splittists in Taiwan."

The official did not elaborate but stressed Taiwan was embarking on activities as a sovereignty state. He held Beijing responsible for the present strained ties with Taipei.

The latest comments followed the unprecedented six-day visit to Taiwan by the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, which ended on Thursday.

The tour during which the Dalai Lama met Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui was fiercely condemned by Beijing.

"We are opposed to any person using any methods in any place to engage in activities to split the motherland or disrupt ethnic unity," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Cui Tiankai said on Thursday.