China and Taiwan: Dalai Lama's visit, inevitably political

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!

This is an intentional consumption of the victims of Typhoon Morakot, consuming their deaths and sufferings. This kind of political trick is a dirty ambush towards those who have fallen into the well. It aims to stimulate the nerve of cross-strait relation, rob in a fire and get rich when the country has crisis. They [referring to DPP) intent to destroy the peace between Taiwan and China with pretentious act of “humanitarian comfort”, while on the other hand criticizes other people's “political logic”. It makes people sick!

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

Dalai Lama is from the very beginning a religious leader. If he is related to politics, it is because of the repression of Tibetan culture and religion by the CCP.

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。

Ye Xiaowen [translator note: Ye is the director of State Bureau of Religious Affairs in China] ‘s comment that “all priest can pray and you don't need to seek one far away” is of bad intention to create conflicts between Taiwan religious sector and Dalai Lama. It also destroys the relation among religious groups within Taiwan.

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。

CCP's attack on DPP is due to the fact that they could not express their anger towards Ma Ying Jeou and they have to place it on DPP.

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:

邀請達賴喇嘛來台灣,對DPP來說,的確是一手好牌你KMT不准他來,一定得罪災民!你讓他來,又得罪支那!
The request made by DPP regarding Dalai Lama's visit is a good move. If KMT rejected the visit, it would enrage the victims. If it allowed the visit, it would enrage China.

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

The fact that CCP could defeat KMT has proven that it is a strong player.
On the one hand, it gave a “let go” signal for Dalai Lama's visit and on the other hand denounced the proposal openly: you fxxking district head Ma has acted against my will! It even sends a running dog [translator note: refering to Ye Xiaowen] to Taiwan barking around!
Such act has turned the table around and helped Ma, the district head, to clean up his pro-China suspect identity and rebuild his image as a responsible district head!
One round after the other, now it looks as if DPP has set the ball for KMT and China government, giving them a chance to win a good name.

Across the Strait in Mainland China, Dalai Lama's visit has become a forbidden topics in all forums and blog hosting websites.

8 comments

  • MT

    The Holy Dalai Lama is great. Tibet is a great nation. Taiwan is a great nation. China is a coward nation.

    Long live Tibet and Taiwan.

  • Islander

    Why is this even a debate? China should butt out of who gets to visit Taiwan. It should not be always about China. The world doesn’t evolve around China.

  • hotaruSTAR16

    If Taiwan hadn’t allowed the Dalai Lama to visit, then that would have shown Taiwan’s increasing dependence on China… which may or may not have been a good thing. Have you read Asia Chronicle News? They provide detailed analyses on Taiwan’s situation with China and the U.S. Have a read: asiachroniclenews.com

  • BlaBlaBla

    Taiwan is and has always been part of China. KMT are losers who flee there, took advantage and bullied the locals. Taiwanese politic is a big joke.

    • Tony C

      I m not proud of what kmt did when they first come to tw, but there were some certain measure done to maintain the stability. But talk about bullying the local, kmt is just juvenile, ur government is the master.

  • Tony C

    haha very funny. There’s no doubt Taiwan is an independent country. We choose our own leader and certainly dont give a damn how china thinks. Taiwanese politic may be chaotic, with all sorts of different voices coming out …

    hey ,but i thinks its hell better than just one boring voice in china.

  • Who is China in the first place to decide whether His Holiness Dalai Lama will visit Taiwan or not? Taiwan is a sovereign nation, and has the right to call anybody it wishes. China may consider Taiwan to be its part, but the reality is different. It is high time China became practical and accepted the truth.

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