Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit political: China

BEIJING, APRIL 1. China today lashed out at the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, for visiting Taiwan ``to collude with splittists on the island to achieve Tibetan independence''.

``The Dalai's second Taiwan trip will certainly be a political visit for collaborating with Taiwan independence forces to separate the motherland, regardless of the 10-day schedule which includes many preaching and religious ceremonies,'' the official media said in a commentary, a day after Dalai reached Taipei.

``For the past four decades, the Dalai has continued to make political deals in a religious robe,'' Xinhua news agency said.

During the current trip, Dalai plans to meet Taiwan's new President, Mr. Chen Shui-bian, and its former leader, Mr. Lee Teng-hui, who have all been vilified by China as ``splittists''.

``Let's wait and see how Dalai will perform during his ``religious trip' to Taiwan'', the commentary said noting that Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and its leadership have been making attempts to establish ``republic of Taiwan'' and sought membership in the United Nations. ``With such a political backdrop, how could Dalai's trip be a pure `religious tour''? the article asked.

The Dalai made his first trip to Taiwan in 1997, which drew fierce protests from Beijing.

- PTI

Dalai meets Tibetans

AFP reports from Taipei:

The Dalai Lama, today met nearly 100 Tibetans, including some illegal immigrants, on the second day of his nine- day trip to the island.

He gave his blessings to the gathering and listened the problems they faced while living in Taiwan. There are some 1,000 tibetans in Taiwan, including 100 illegal immigrants.

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Section  : International
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