The Taiwan dollar ended weaker on Monday on a softer yen and after China issued a warning over the perceived independence leanings of President Chen Shui-bian.
The local dollar closed at T$33.588 to the US dollar on the main Taipei Forex Inc exchange, against Friday's finish of T$33.549.
Turnover was moderate at US $497 million, shrinking from Friday's US $660 million.
"Basically the Taiwan dollar followed the fluctuations of the yen, and was affected by the tough line taken by China's Taiwan Affairs Office," said a local dealer.
China called Chen's speech a cloaked address on independence and said it would pay any price to prevent him from splitting Taiwan from mainland China, even forfeiting the 2008 Olympic games.
The yen was at 112.50/2.56 in late Asian trade, softening from as high as 111.72 to the greenback on Friday, pulling the local dollar lower.