TAIPEI, March 03, 1997, (Inside China) -- Taiwan is cautiously preparing for a visit later this month by the Dalai Lama and trying to avert China's wrath over the trip by insisting the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader will restrict himself to religious issues.

His hosts, the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China, stressed that no political meetings were planned when they announced the details on Saturday of the Dalai Lama's six-day visit, starting on March 22.

"It will be purely a religious trip, meeting various religious leaders, speaking to Buddhist disciples and performing a Tibetan Buddhist ceremony," the Association Chairman, Master Ching Hsin, told a news briefing in Taipei.

The Dalai Lama has no plans to meet Taiwanese political leaders, including President Lee Teng-hui and Vice President Lien Chan, he added.

China has made strenuous efforts to neutralize the Dalai Lama's influence abroad since he went into exile in 1950, when Chinese troops moved in to replace the centuries-old ruling Buddhist theocracy with control from Beijing.

The Dalai Lama, revered at home as a "God-King", advocates non-violent resistance to Chinese domination and says he wants autonomy for Tibet.

China has regarded Taiwan as a renegade province since the Nationalists fled there in 1949 after losing the civil war, and insists it must be reunited with the mainland.

Already angered by political reforms in Taiwan, Beijing's wrath increased when news emerged last September of the Dalai Lama's invitation by the Buddhist Association, and it has repeatedly warned Taiwan not to admit the exiled leader.

Beijing views President Lee's reforms, including direct presidential elections in March 1996 and the pursuit of international recognition, as moves towards splitting Taiwan permanently from the mainland by declaring it independent, a step China strongly opposes.

"The Dalai Lama's trip comes at a delicate time when China is having a political transition after the death of (paramount leader) Deng Xiaoping, which would give China an excuse to charge the exiled leader with trying to join Taiwan in splitting from the mainland," a western diplomat said. Ching Hsin acknowledged that the Presidential Office has expressed concern over the Dalai Lama's visit, though local press reports have said Lee is likely to meet him, but in his capacity as a Christian, not as president.

In a statement released to the Taiwan press through the Buddhist

Association, the Dalai Lama also emphasized that his visit "is purely religious, despite someone seeing it as political."

But he also said he believed Deng's death would give Tibetan people new hope. "I believe the death of Mr. Deng would bring new hope and new challenge to both Tibetans and Chinese," he said, but did not elaborate.

The Dalai Lama said he is seeking a "mutually accepted solution for the Tibetan issue. Once Beijing has a positive response, I am willing to talk with them sincerely. This is my long-held position, which would not affect my Taiwan visit."