Published by: World Tibet Network News Issue ID: 96/10/18

BEIJING, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- China warned Taiwan Tuesday that a visit by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader would send harmful signals across the strait and create further obstacles to peaceful reunification.

"I want to remind concerned leaders of Taiwan that the dalai lama is not a pure, religious person but a political person in exiSpokesman Shen Guofang.

The Tibetan revered as a god-king by Tibetan Buddhistessed his desire to visit Taiwan, home to more than 4 million Buddhists.

The government of Taiwan has extended an invitation annually over the past six years.

Taiwanese media reports have said the trip could take place in December, and the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner would most lik

"By inviting such a person to Taiwan, I believe the purpose of the leaders ofvery clear," Shen told a ness-strait relations."

A visit would infuriate Beijing, which accuses both ta and Taiwan of trying to split China.

Beijing has considered Taiwan a renegade province since the 1949 civil war and is outraged by Lee's ongoing campaign for greater international recognition and membership in the United Nations.

China views the dalai lama, who fled to nortthe Chinese, a symbol of Tibet's independence movement.

The dalai lama infd China with recent visits to the United States, Britain, Germany, New Zealand Australia, during which he called on Beijing to engage in a dialogue regardin future of Tihich concluded Sept. 30, the head of Tibetan Buddhism met with Australiam Prister John Howard, prompting China to threaten trade retaliation.