TAIPEI - Former Premier Tang Fei returned to Taiwan yesterday morning on a charter flight and was sent to a hospital after falling ill during a trip in China, sources at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport said. Tang and his family were visiting relatives in China when he developed pneumonia and was rushed to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.

His condition deteriorated after being hospitalized, according to the sources.

His family then asked for help from China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), a semi-official organization authorized by Beijing to handle cross-strait affairs.

With the assistance of the ARATS, Tang's family arranged a TransAsia Airways charter flight from Dalian in northeastern China's Liaoning Province, the sources said.

According to an ARATS official who assisted Tang with his return trip, however, Tang's condition was improving before he boarded the flight in Dalian.

Chinese officials responsible for Taiwanese affairs said that Tang fell ill while traveling in Changchun, Jilin Province. He was sent to the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University after developing a fever and pneumonia, and was in stable condition after emergency medical treatment.

Tang was premier from May 20, 2000 to Oct. 6, 2000.