China has criticised an invitation from Taiwan to the Dalai Lama, calling him a separatist who wants to sabotage improving cross-strait relations.
Taiwan's president granted opposition requests for Tibet's spiritual leader to comfort victims of Typhoon Morakot.
"He raises the religious banner and continues to carry out attempting to split the country."
The authorities in Beijing said Taiwan's pro-independence opposition had ulterior motives in asking the more pro-Beijing President Ma Ying-jeou to approve the Dalai Lama's visit.
"Some of the people in the Democratic Progressive Party use the disaster rescue excuse to invite Dalai to Taiwan to sabotage the hard-earned positive situation of cross-straits relations," the statement said.
But the typhoon and its aftermath have left Mr Ma in a difficult position.
His popularity has plunged to a record low of 20% over his handling of the disaster.
According to the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei, the president needed to give the green light to the Dalai Lama's visit because he could not afford to hurt his and his party's image any further.
The Dalai Lama has long been eager to visit Taiwan, and is looking forward to the trip, his aide told Reuters news agency.
Taiwan is home to a large exiled Tibetan community, and millions of Taiwanese are Buddhists.
Taiwan's president granted opposition requests for Tibet's spiritual leader to comfort victims of Typhoon Morakot.
"He raises the religious banner and continues to carry out attempting to split the country."
The authorities in Beijing said Taiwan's pro-independence opposition had ulterior motives in asking the more pro-Beijing President Ma Ying-jeou to approve the Dalai Lama's visit.
"Some of the people in the Democratic Progressive Party use the disaster rescue excuse to invite Dalai to Taiwan to sabotage the hard-earned positive situation of cross-straits relations," the statement said.
But the typhoon and its aftermath have left Mr Ma in a difficult position.
His popularity has plunged to a record low of 20% over his handling of the disaster.
According to the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei, the president needed to give the green light to the Dalai Lama's visit because he could not afford to hurt his and his party's image any further.
The Dalai Lama has long been eager to visit Taiwan, and is looking forward to the trip, his aide told Reuters news agency.
Taiwan is home to a large exiled Tibetan community, and millions of Taiwanese are Buddhists.
There would've been no such visit if the typhoon hadn’t struck and caused Ma’s popularity to collapse.
The Dalai Lama better make the most out of this trip, as rarely does the chance arise for him to visit Taiwan.
Nebula82.
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