Hong Kong Standard, March 15, 1997

AN adviser of Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui has criticised Beijing for over-reacting to the coming visit by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

National policy adviser Professor David Chang said the "critical sentiments" towards the visit had overwhelmed cross-straits diplomacy and affected the course of reunification.

Prof Chang, a member of Mr Lee's think tank, said the visit was purely on religious grounds and the Dalai Lama's talks with the president would not deal in depth with politics.

Mr Lee had already said publicly that he just wanted to talk spiritual reform with the Dalai Lama, he said.

But political scientist Professor Hu Fu, of Taiwan's National University, said the exiled spiritual leader's visit would inevitably have "political connotations".

The meeting denoted a consensus between the Dalai Lama and Mr Lee over peaceful co-existence with the mainland, Prof Hu said.

"Both parties want to convey a message of opposition to the use of military force while maintaining their own religion and style of living," Prof Hu said.

He also predicted that Taiwan would co-operate with the Dalai Lama in some way.

"Most probably the Dalai Lama is coming to Taiwan because he wants some donation from Taiwan. It can be under the disguise of religion and unofficial," he said.

Prof Hu said Beijing was unlikely to resort to military intimidation but he predicted a fierce media attack.

The Dalai Lama is to visit Taiwan from 22 March. President Lee has said he wants to meet the spiritual leader for an "informal chat" on spiritual reform.

Meanwhile, Prof Chang said there was no need for Taiwan to try to gain re-entry to the United Nations, but he called for reopening of cross-straits talks at all levels.

"When Taiwan withdrew from the UN in the 1960s, they slated the body as useless," he said.

Spain had been out of the world body for decades but still remained a respected power during that time.