Over the past few years, the international community’s perception of Taiwan has changed due to its economic miracle, but more specifically because of its democratic transition, which makes it distinct from China.
Taiwan recast its political system and transformed itself from what China is today into a working democracy where fair elections, protection of human rights and freedom of speech constitute its core principles.
The liberal democratic system adopted by Taiwan has not only changed an international belief that Western democratic ideals and Chinese Confucianism cannot flourish together, but has also created hope for more than 1 billion people living under Chinese Communist Party authoritarian rule.
With the change of guard in Taiwan’s leadership and political system, Taiwan and Tibet began to witness positive developments in their relationship. Taiwan’s democratic transition has also had an ameliorating effect on reshaping Taiwan-Tibet relations.
Therefore, Tibetans, along with Taiwanese, mourn President Lee Teng-hui’s (李登輝) passing.
The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate the 14th Dalai Lama also mourned his death and recalled the late president’s contributions to Taiwan’s democratic establishment.
The Dalai Lama said that Lee’s “contribution to Taiwan’s democratic development was an exceptional achievement.”
“Today, Taiwan is a vibrant and prosperous democracy with a rich cultural heritage. Perhaps the best tribute we can pay him is to remember his courage and determination and emulate his dedication to democracy,” he said.
Lee had a significant role in remolding ties between Taiwan and Tibet, who share a unique connection.
The history of Taiwan-Tibet relations dates back to the formation of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Republic of China (ROC).
In the beginning, the nationalist frontier policy of five races continued to shape the relations that were often challenged by the Central Tibetan Administration. Therefore, despite the China factor, both sides failed to strengthen ties during the initial phase of rule under the People’s Republic of China.
Nevertheless, a breakthrough in bilateral relations was achieved in the late 1990s, as a significant democratic transition reshaped Taiwan’s political system.
In the 1990s, under the leadership of Lee, Taiwan witnessed a democratic shift in domestic politics, which included the eradication of lifetime legislators, the first full election of legislators and the lifting of the ban on newspapers.
In 1996, Taiwanese voters made Lee the first directly elected president of the ROC.
It was during this period under Lee’s leadership that Taiwan and Tibet decided to put relations on a new path.
As a result, in early 1992, despite differences over the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission and with the intervention of Lee, Chao Chi-chi (趙自齊), a senior political adviser and former World Freedom and Democracy Alliance president, visited India to invite the Dalai Lama to Taiwan.
Consequently, in 1997, one year into Lee’s democratically elected term in office, the Dalai Lama made his first visit to Taiwan. Lee became the first ROC president to welcome the Dalai Lama, who was then the political and spiritual leader of 6 million Tibetans, regarded by China as a “splitist.”
Lee, despite resistance from the Chinese government, met the Dalai Lama, and the meeting paved the way to establishing the Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taipei in March 1997. The office aims to promote cultural and religious exchanges between Taiwan and the Central Tibetan Administration.
Lee was the first president to attend the opening ceremony of a Dalai Lama office in a foreign country. The office signifies a significant departure from decades of hostile relations.
Lee’s push to reopen relations led to the Dalai Lama’s subsequent visits and further interaction between the communities. Today, both sides enjoy an amicable relationship.
In the past few years, legislators formed the Taiwan Parliamentary Group for Tibet at the Legislative Yuan, which promises to help defend human rights and freedom for Tibet on an international level.
Among all the developments, one of the most significant that affects the normalization of relations has been the growth of Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan. Researcher Kensaku Okawa said that in 2002 there were about 500,000 followers of Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan. This figure would have certainly increased by now.
Central Tibetan Administration President Lobsang Sangay recognized that the friendship and solidarity shared between Taiwanese and Tibetans are the result of that historic meeting between Lee and the Dalai Lama. It forged a new chapter of friendship and solidarity between the communities.
That these communities enjoy friendship through common beliefs in democratic principles, and Tibetan Buddhism, is a result of Lee’s decision to normalize relations in the 1990s.
Khedroob Thondup, the Dalai Lama’s nephew, said that Lee’s passing is a significant loss to Tibetans and Tibet has lost one of its key supporters in Taiwan.
Dolma Tsering is a doctoral candidate at the Chinese Division of the Center for East Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
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