While Taiwan officially recognizes Tibet as a part of China, the government, in a departure from his first visit, gave visiting Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama a reception reserved only for heads of state.
The Tibetan spiritual leader was allowed through the airport entrance for "national guests," a clear gesture of respect by the DPP government to the Dalai Lama, now acknowledged as one of the world's most inspiring moral authorities.
The Dalai Lama is expected to meet with President Chen Shui-bian (
PHOTO: AP
The charismatic monk was received at the airport, by Master Ching Hsin (淨心), the chairman of the Chinese Buddhists Association, and Tenzing Atisha, managing director of the H.H. the Dalai Lama Tibetan Buddhist Foundation, the de facto Tibetan consulate in Taiwan.
DPP legislator Parris Chang (
Hundreds of Tibetans and others also welcomed him at the airport yesterday, and scores of Tibetan monks later hosted a traditional reception at Taipei's Howard Plaza Hotel, where he will stay for the next eight days.
During the Dalai Lama's last visit in March 1997, the Dalai Lama landed at the Kaoshuing International Airport.
Several other changes between the Dalai Lama's first and current visit also highlight subtle yet symbolic shifts in the government's treatment of the Tibetan leader. Unlike his first trip, the agency responsible for the Dalai Lama's visit is not the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The government has also allowed the Dalai Lama, now based in India, to enter the country with his Identity Certificate -- issued by the Indian government -- which he uses on his travels abroad.
Previously, the MOI, highly conscious of political pressure from Beijing, issued an entry permit for the Nobel Peace laureate, which analysts have said made a mockery of Taiwan's then ruling establishment.
Accompanying the Dalai Lama on this second trip is a 17-member entourage to assist in his religious teachings -- which will include a total of seven days of Buddhist instruction at the Linkou stadium in Taoyuan.
Tibetan officials on the trip include the Dalai Lama's private secretary Tenzin Geyche and Karma Gelek Yuthok, Religious Secretary of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and formerly the Dalai Lama's Tokyo-based representative to East Asia.
The Dalai Lama has characterized the trip as being purely spiritual in nature. He will meet with Master Cheng Yen (
The Dalai Lama will deliver a speech on "Ethics in the New Millennium" this afternoon at the Linkou stadium, after which he will hold an interfaith prayer for world peace. Vice President Annette Lu (
Former president Lee Teng-hui (
MORE VISITORS: The Tourism Administration said that it is seeing positive prospects in its efforts to expand the tourism market in North America and Europe Taiwan has been ranked as the cheapest place in the world to travel to this year, based on a list recommended by NerdWallet. The San Francisco-based personal finance company said that Taiwan topped the list of 16 nations it chose for budget travelers because US tourists do not need visas and travelers can easily have a good meal for less than US$10. A bus ride in Taipei costs just under US$0.50, while subway rides start at US$0.60, the firm said, adding that public transportation in Taiwan is easy to navigate. The firm also called Taiwan a “food lover’s paradise,” citing inexpensive breakfast stalls
TRADE: A mandatory declaration of origin for manufactured goods bound for the US is to take effect on May 7 to block China from exploiting Taiwan’s trade channels All products manufactured in Taiwan and exported to the US must include a signed declaration of origin starting on May 7, the Bureau of Foreign Trade announced yesterday. US President Donald Trump on April 2 imposed a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan, but one week later announced a 90-day pause on its implementation. However, a universal 10 percent tariff was immediately applied to most imports from around the world. On April 12, the Trump administration further exempted computers, smartphones and semiconductors from the new tariffs. In response, President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration has introduced a series of countermeasures to support affected
CROSS-STRAIT: The vast majority of Taiwanese support maintaining the ‘status quo,’ while concern is rising about Beijing’s influence operations More than eight out of 10 Taiwanese reject Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework for cross-strait relations, according to a survey released by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday. The MAC’s latest quarterly survey found that 84.4 percent of respondents opposed Beijing’s “one country, two systems” formula for handling cross-strait relations — a figure consistent with past polling. Over the past three years, opposition to the framework has remained high, ranging from a low of 83.6 percent in April 2023 to a peak of 89.6 percent in April last year. In the most recent poll, 82.5 percent also rejected China’s
PLUGGING HOLES: The amendments would bring the legislation in line with systems found in other countries such as Japan and the US, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting said Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷) has proposed amending national security legislation amid a spate of espionage cases. Potential gaps in security vetting procedures for personnel with access to sensitive information prompted him to propose the amendments, which would introduce changes to Article 14 of the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法), Chen said yesterday. The proposal, which aims to enhance interagency vetting procedures and reduce the risk of classified information leaks, would establish a comprehensive security clearance system in Taiwan, he said. The amendment would require character and loyalty checks for civil servants and intelligence personnel prior to
RSS