Taipei's Dalai Lama invite blasted

• Source: Global Times
• [01:25 August 28 2009]
• Comments

By Zhang Han

The Chinese government yesterday voiced “resolute” opposition to the proposed visit of the Dalai Lama to Taiwan on Sunday. Analysts believe that the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been trying to take advantage of Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou's slow response after typhoon Morakot.

“We resolutely oppose the proposed visit of the Dalai Lama to Taiwan in whatever form and capacity,” said a spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, Xinhua reported.

“The Dalai Lama is not a purely religious figure,” the spokesman said. “Under the pretext of religion, he has all along been engaged in separatist activities.”

Seven mayors and county chiefs from Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party Wednesday invited the Dalai Lama to visit the island, where Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou approved the proposal yesterday.

According to AFP, Tenzin Taklha, the spokesman for the Dalai Lama, said that the Dalai Lama would lead prayer ceremonies in Taiwan and offer condolences to those affected by the typhoon two weeks ago that left hundreds dead.

“When people from all sectors on the mainland are lending a hand to help Taiwan reconstruct and overcome the typhoon disaster quickly, some DPP members have taken the chance to plot the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan,” the spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office said.

“Obviously this is not for the sake of disaster relief. It's an attempt to sabotage the hard-earned positive situation in cross-Straits relations,” he said.

The visit, approved by Ma Ying-jeou and accepted by the Dalai Lama, is scheduled from Sunday to September 4, according to AFP.

Ma's spokesman Wang Yu-chi attempted to downplay the political significance of the trip, saying it was “based on humanitarian and religious considerations which should not hurt cross-Straits ties.”