China and Taiwan: Dalai Lama’s visit, inevitably political · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Yesterday Dalai Lama arrived in Taiwan on a visit that has been denounced by China. The trip, requested by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to President Ma Ying-jeou, aimed at comforting victims of Typhoon Morakot. Dalai Lama explained in the airport that “I'm a monk. I was asked to say prayers for peace…There is no politics. This is humanitarian in nature”.
Although Dalai Lama tried very hard to keep his trip a humanitarian one and adjusted his schedule accordingly, the debates, protests and discussions concerning this trip have been pointing towards the other direction.
Taiwanderful posted Dalai Lama's schedule with a note complaining that:
This schedule may be subject to last minute changes. It seems the government gives with one hand and takes with the other. They let the Dalai Lama come here, but they are reluctant to let him do anything.
From the very beginning, those who opposed Dalai Lama's visit believed that the whole trip was a political show directed by DDP. For example, ROCgood from udn.com said:
明明故意消費88水災災民的死亡及苦難，搞落井下石的突襲，卑鄙政治手段，暗戳兩岸敏感神經，趁火打劫，發政治國難財，企圖破壞兩岸和平。卻又如此倒打一耙，假惺惺作態，偽託「人道撫慰」之名，說別人不要有「政治邏輯思考」，真的讓人噁心作嘔！
According to Lin Pohua, a blogger and a columnist, there are three main arguments against Dalai Lama's visit, including: 1. Dalai Lama is a political figure and all his action has political purpose; 2. local religious figure can also give comfort to victims; 3. DPP takes Dalai Lama's visit as a political show. Upon listing out the above arguments, Lin defences:
達賴喇嘛本來就是宗教領袖，如果說，他後來被逼沾上政治，也是因為共產黨對西藏文化與宗教的滅族迫害
葉小文一句“不一定遠方來的和尚才會念經”，是有意挑動台灣宗教界與達賴喇嘛，以及台灣宗教界之間的關係。
共產黨大肆誣蔑民進黨，那是因為這口自己找來的惡氣不便出在不爭氣的馬英九身上，只能找民進黨來亂罵了。
Weichen points out that Dalai Lama had visited Taiwan twice in 1997 and 2001. In both incidents Ma Ying Jeou welcomed Dalai Lama warm-heartedly. The blogger predicts that Ma Ying Jeou and KMT's leader would not dare to meet Dalai Lama this time due to Beijing's political pressure.
Cigam looks at Dalai Lama's visit as a political match among DPP, Kuomingtang (KMT) and CCP:
是的，能把KMT轟到台灣來的共產黨果然不是省油的燈！ 一方面示意區長可以放達賴喇嘛通關，另一方面擺出強硬態勢：你他X的馬區長不聽話！甚至還放了一隻奴才來台灣大聲亂吠！ 一招轉守為攻、連消代打，幫馬區長洗掉了部分「親中」的嫌疑（是嫌疑嗎？），順便再幫馬區長塑造出有擔當、有氣魄的形象！好了，雙方你來我往，如果發展到這裡，其實看起來好像是DPP做球給KMT跟支那來打，讓他們博得美名
Across the Strait in Mainland China, Dalai Lama's visit has become a forbidden topics in all forums and blog hosting websites.