World Tibet Network News Tuesday, May 05, 1998 (I)

BEIJING, May 4: (PRESS TRUST OF INDIA) Much to the displeasure of mainland China, Taiwan has allowed the exiled Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama to open an office in Taipei. Dalai Lama's Tibet Religious Foundation officially opened its office in Taipei in April, `turning a new page in Taiwan-Tibetan civilian exchanges', reports The Free China Journal in its latest edition here.

The Foundation is one of Dalai Lama's more than a dozen overseas representative offices. Its establishment was planned soon after Dalai Lama's visit to Taiwan in March 1997, the journal says. The office in Taipei will be headed by Kesang Takla, formerly Dalai Lama's chief representative in London. report said the Foundation is registered with the Taiwan Government as a `religious group'.

Meanwhile, China has issued a stern warning to Japan not to include Taiwan within the scope of an expanded defence agreement with the United States, the China Daily newspaper said today.

``China will not accept any action designed to include the TaiwanStraits in the sphere of Japan-US defence cooperation guidelines,'' the newspaper quoted Chinese Defence Minister Chi Haotian as saying. Chi stressed China's position during talks yesterday with Japanese Defence Agency chief Fumio Kyuma, who is here to discuss expanding defence exchanges.