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Dalai Lama arrives in Taiwan for religious visit

ROC Central News Agency

2009/08/30 23:29:18
Taipei, Aug. 30 (CNA) The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, arrived in Taiwan late Sunday for a six-day visit aimed at consoling victims of Typhoon Morakot, one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit Taiwan.

The 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner traveled to the southern port city of Kaohsiung via a bullet train shortly after his arrival at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, some 40 kilometers south of Taipei.

During his stay, the 75-year-old Dalai Lama will spend most of time visiting areas hit hard by Typhoon Morakot, which pummeled Taiwan Aug.7-9 and left more than 600 people dead or missing.

He originally planned to host an international news conference Monday morning, but has canceled that event and will instead visit Siaolin village in Kaohsiung County. Some 400 Siaolin residents were believed to have been buried alive under a massive landslide triggered by Morakot's torrential rains.

The Dalai Lama said at New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport before flying to Taiwan that his visit was strictly non-political and a "moral responsibility" after a massive storm devastated the island.

"I'm very, very strict, (the trip is of a) non-political nature," he said in television footage shown by TVBS cable news channel.

He further said he believes his visit will not affect relations across the Taiwan Strait.

His statement was seen as part of his efforts to minimize the sensitivity of his Taiwan trip which has touched a raw nerve in China.

Analysts said his visit could hinder the Tibetan government-in-exile's negotiations with China and may even derail nascent detente between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait which began after President Ma Ying-jeou assumed office in May 2008.

The Dalai Lama was invited by the heads of seven southern Taiwan cities and counties -- known as strongholds of the pro-independence opposition Democratic Progressive Party -- to host Dharma sermons for typhoon-affected victims.

He is scheduled to wrap up his visit Sept.4.

(By Sofia Wu) enditem