Dalai Lama’s Visit to Taiwan

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Taiwan has invited Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to pray for its typhoon victims. Our research shows that although some media sources say this is a humanitarian visit, others say it is political. Yet others are questioning how the visit would affect Taiwan-China relations.

We take a look at perspectives from Channel News Asia, China Daily, France24 and CNN.

A reporter from Channel News Asia presents the view of Taiwanese officials, who say this is a humanitarian visit.

“Taiwan’s presidential office has tried to play down the political significance of the Dalai Lama’s visit. A spokesman says it is based on humanitarian and religious considerations, which should not hurt cross-straits ties.’

But China Daily speaks to a Chinese official who disagrees and says why…

 "Under the pretext of religion, (the Dalai Lama) has all along been engaged in separatist activities.”
"Obviously this is not for the sake of disaster relief. It's an attempt to sabotage the hard-earned good situation in cross-Strait relations.” (Spokesman, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office)

A reporter from France24 brings in a different view. She suggests that the Taiwanese president approved the Dalai Lama’s visit to appease critics who are upset with the government’s slow response to rescue efforts.

“When Typhoon Morakot hit the country earlier in August, President Ma came under fire for not doing enough to rescue the survivors. Seven hundred people were killed by mudslides, and thousands left homeless. Taiwan is home to a large community of Tibetian exiles and millions of Buddhists. Letting the Dalai Lama visit could help the president to make amends.”

But a reporter from CNN says this visit may strain Taiwan-China relations.

“The Dalai Lama has spent his entire life trying to gain autonomy for his homeland Tibet. And China sees Tibet as a part of China, and has not at all budged on its stance when it comes to that issue. So this might well ruffle political feathers between China and Taiwan, who already share a little bit of a disturbing political history between the two countries.”

What do you think the Dalai Lama’s visit really mean?