BEIJING, March 3 (AFP) - China launched a fresh assault Monday on the Dalai Lama's upcoming visit to Taiwan, accusing the Tibetan spiritual leader of betraying the trust of the country's Buddhists.

"We seriously warn that the Dalai Lama should not continue his foolish activities that will hurt the feelings of both religious people and laymen on both sides of the (Taiwan) Straits," said Zhao Puchu, president of the Buddhist Association of China

Taiwan, which China has regarded as a renegade province since nationalists fled to the island at the end of a civil war in 1949, is to play host to a private visit by the Dalai Lama in late March.

"No matter how much the Dalai Lama will gloss over his visit to Taiwan, he cannot conceal his real attempt to split the motherland and disrupt national unity, and he will suffer from his own actions in the end," Zhao was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency.

"It is known to all that the Dalai Lama ... has lost the trust of Buddhist believers by advocating the independence of Tibet and engaging in activities that will damage the unity of the motherland," he added.

Criticising Buddhist groups in Taiwan for agreeing to host the Dalai Lama's visit, Zhao also accused separatist forces in Taiwan of colluding with the Dalai clique in carrying out "various farcical activities."

China "liberated" Tibet in 1951 and the Dalai Lama and many of his followers fled to India in 1959 after an abortive anti-Chinese revolt.

Zhao's remarks constituted the second time in as many days that Beijing has hit out at the Dalai Lama's Taiwan visit.

The chairman of China's Tibetan Autonomous Regional Government, Gyaincain Norbu, said Sunday that the Dalai Lama and the Taiwanese authorities had "publicly wallowed in the mire with each other."