South China Morning Post - 6 May 1996

Taiwan has told the Dalai Lama that it would welcome him as a visitor, but only his capacity as a "religious leader", the Taiwan press reported yesterday.

But Chinese officials responsible for Taiwan affairs warned the island not become involved in any separatist activities in Tibet.

"The sovereignty of Tibet belongs to China and we are strongly against any move of Taiwan that entourages Tibet's separatist activist," an official said.

"Beijing has sent a clear message that President Lee Teng-hui must take concrete steps to return to the 'one country' principle and that [Taiwan's invitation to the Dalai Lama] will not do any good to cross-strait relations."

Chinese officials have been closely monitoring the situation in Taiwan after the presidential election in March.

There are expectations that Mr Lee will announce moves to improve cross-straits relations in his inauguration speech on May 20.

Taiwan experts in Beijing have said that an invitation for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Taiwan would be seen as a provocative gesture.

The Dalai Lama exchanged letters with Mr Lee and expressed his interest in visiting the island, the Central Daily News quoted Lee Hou-kao, chairman of Taiwan's Cabinet-level Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, as telling lawmakers on Saturday.

"President Lee said he welcome his visit at an appropriate time in the capacity as a religious leader," Mr Lee Hou-kao said.

He made the statement when opposition legislator Yen Chin-fu claimed the Government was barring the Dalai Lama's trip, the Central Daily News said.

Another opposition legislator, Shen Fu-hsiung, also criticised the Government , saying it was being unreasonable in ignoring the Dalai Lama's role as a state leader since Tibet has a system of unified state and church, the China Times said.

The Dalai Lama has been living in India since he fled Tibet in 1959.

Local media reports pointed out that his support of Tibetan independence ran counter to Taiwan's own claim to sovereignty ever Tibet.