Dalai Lama visit tests Taiwan-China relations

The Dalai Lama has attempted to downplay the political significance of his Taiwan visit.

In this story: Political implications Religion first RELATED STORIES

From staff and wire reports

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has arrived in Taiwan at the start of a 10-day visit expected to place renewed strain on relations between the island and mainland China.

He was welcomed at Taipei airport by government officials, leading Taiwanese lawmakers, and monks clad in traditional saffron robes.

Although the Dalai Lama's visit includes political meetings both he and Taiwanese officials say the visit is not a political mission, denying accusations from Beijing that it is part of a plot to break up China.

VIDEO CNN's Kasra Naji reports on the Dalai Lama's upcoming trip to Taiwan Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    IN-DEPTH SPECIAL The Dalai Lama: A spiritual leader in exile

China has labeled both the Dalai Lama and Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian as "splittists".

The Dalai's Lama's local representative and trip organizers say he is making the visit because Taiwanese Buddhists have a strong interest in Tibetan Buddhism, but lack devotion to their religion.

"This is the reason why His Holiness finds it extremely important to give Taiwanese followers a clear introduction to the Tibetan Buddhist philosophy," the Dalai Lama's private secretary and special envoy to the European Union (EU), Kalsang Gyaktsen, told reporters.

In his second visit to Taiwan, the 14th Dalai Lama is expected to meet President Chen Shui-bian and former President Lee Teng-hui.

Early in his political career, Chen was a vocal supporter of Taiwan independence, although he has softened his stance since winning the presidency last year.

China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949, and Beijing has repeatedly threatened to use force to take the island back.

Beijing, which considers Taiwan and Tibet integral parts of China, has already warned of the visit's "serious consequences", accusing the Dalai Lama of colluding with Taiwanese separatists.

Political implications

Political observers are warning the political meetings will draw most of the media attention and have urged the government to tread carefully.

The Dalai Lama has tried to play down the political significance of his visit, but Taipei-based Andrew Yang of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies says the meeting of Taiwan pro-independence leaders "is bound to have some political implications".

"Although the Dalai Lama has reiterated it is a religious visit, it does show that he is in close ties with the incumbent Taiwan government which China dislikes," he told CNN.com.

Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu has admitted that the island's relations with China would enter a "sensitive period" as a result of the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit.

For Beijing's part, Sun Yafu, deputy director of the Chinese cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, said the Taiwan authorities "will have to take responsibility for the serious after-effects resulting from agreeing to the Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan".

CNN.com senior China analyst Willy Lam says Beijing views the Dalai Lama's visit as further proof of the existence of a global anti-China conspiracy between the pro-independence movements in Taiwan and Tibet, the Falun Gong, and so-called anti-China elements in the United States.

Religion first

The Dalai Lama will hold mass "enlightenment" lectures across Taiwan

During his visit the Dalai Lama will hold mass "enlightenment" lectures across Taiwan.

Wealthy but diplomatically isolated Taiwan has about 30,000 followers of Tibetan Buddhism, who showered the Dalai Lama with some $500,000 in donations during his last visit.

"For ordinary people, the Dalai Lama's visit has greater religious significance than political," says Hsu Szu-chien, a China policy adviser to President Chen's Democratic Progressive Party.

The Tibetan leader met with former Taiwan President Lee Tung-hui during his first visit to Taiwan in 1997. A second trip planned for 1998 was called off due to strong opposition from Beijing.

He also turned down an invitation to Chen's inauguration on May 20 apparently to avoid causing trouble during the sensitive transition.

The Dalai Lama fled his Himalayan homeland after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize three decades later for his peaceful campaign for Tibetan autonomy.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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