Top Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials during a visit with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India, vowed to forge closer cooperation with the exiled Tibetan government and to form an international “Silk Road of Democracy” (民主絲路) to fight Chinese oppression.
A direct channel has been established with the Dalai Lama after their fruitful talks from Wednesday to Friday last week, which focused on the strength of Taiwan’s democracy and protests in Hong Kong, DPP Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said yesterday.
Luo was accompanied by party spokesman Lii Wen (李問) and public relations director Hsieh Yu-li (謝雨利) for their meeting with the Dalai Lama and officials from the exiled Tibetan government.
Photo from Lii Wen’s Facebook via CNA
“Taiwan’s main strength lies in its democracy,” Luo quoted the Tibetan spiritual leader as saying.
Although it is threatened by Chinese missiles and other intimidation tactics, “Taiwan’s strongest countermeasures include democracy, freedom and the comprehensive preservation of traditional culture,” Luo added.
Taiwan would build a broad international alliance that brings together Tibetans, Uighurs, Hong Kongers, Inner Mongolians and overseas Chinese democracy advocates to promote freedom, human rights and democratic values in China, Lii said.
The project would be called the “Silk Road of Democracy” to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Lii said.
“The DPP and Tibetans share much of the same values and stand together under the same threatening force. Therefore, we shall forge a network with Tibetans, Uighurs, Hong Kongers and Inner Mongolians to pursue and consolidate democracy,” Luo said.
Asked whether there are plans to invite the Dalai Lama to Taiwan, Luo said that while he was representing the DPP and not the government on the trip, Taiwan is a free nation and the door is always open for people who seek freedom and democracy.
He said that the DPP welcomes the exiled Tibetan leader, who has not visited Taiwan since 2009.
“It is up to the willingness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Luo added. “He has fond memories of his previous trips, but he said that his advanced age is not suitable for taking long flights.”
The DPP entourage also met with other key officials, including exiled Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay, Legislative Speaker Pema Jungney, Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sonam Norbu Dagpo and Tibetan Youth Congress president Gonpo Dhondup.
Luo quoted the Dalai Lama as saying that he had not ruled out Taiwan as a location for his reincarnation, since it would take place in a Buddhist country.
Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan president Tashi Tsering conferred hada, traditional Tibetan silk scarfs, on Luo, Lii and DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) to thank them for the party’s efforts in helping him obtain Republic of China citizenship.
As an exile, he has never seen his Tibetan homeland and has lived in Taiwan for 21 years, Tashi said.
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about 1,900 as
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
The WHO ignored early COVID-19 warnings from Taiwan, US Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill said on Friday, as part of justification for Washington withdrawing from the global health body. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said that the US was pulling out of the UN agency, as it failed to fulfill its responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO “ignored early COVID warnings from Taiwan in 2019 by pretending Taiwan did not exist, O’Neill wrote on X on Friday, Taiwan time. “It ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns.” The US will “continue international coordination on infectious
RSS