Traveling Dalai Lama to miss Taiwan president's inauguration

April 10, 2000
Web posted at: 6:03 p.m. HKT (1003 GMT)

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TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Noting a potential conflict with China, the Dalai Lama, considered a separatist by Beijing, isn't planning to attend President-elect Chen Shui-bian's inauguration.

"The situation (with China) now is extremely complicated, so visiting Taiwan or attending the inauguration at this time is difficult," the China Post newspaper on Monday quoted the Dalai Lama as saying.

Chen, of the Democratic Progressive Party, won Taiwan's presidential elections on March 18, ending more than 50 years of Nationalist's rule. He is to be sworn in on May 20. Independent candidate James Soong finished second while Vice President and Nationalist candidate Lien Chan was third.

"After everything settles down and Beijing is clear about things, I would be extremely willing to visit Taiwan," the Tibetan spiritual leader said. The Dalai Lama also said he would be traveling in Europe, making it difficult to alter his itinerary.

Meanwhile, Beijing continued its attacks on Taiwan's Vice President-elect Annette Lu, calling her insane and saying her pro-separatist stance is putting the island at risk. On Saturday, China's official Xinhua news agency said Lu was the "scum of the Chinese nation."

While China decided to monitor Chen's actions before issuing critical statements, Beijing began attacking Lu over the weekend. China's state-run media reported Monday that she doesn't know Chinese history.

"Annette Lu is insane and acting provocatively toward the `one-China principle.' This clearly shows she wants to push the people of Taiwan into the abyss of war," the Liberation Army Daily said.

The DPP has backed Taiwan's formal independence from China, but Chen softened that stance during the campaign. Chen and Lu have since said they would favor a formal declaration of independence if China attacked the island.

Said the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily in a front- page commentary: "How can the 23 million Taiwan compatriots feel at ease with a lunatic leader who will lead them into catastrophe at any moment?"

Beijing considers both Taiwan and Tibet as inseparable parts of China, and views Taiwan -- which has been ruled separately since 1949 -- as a renegade province that must be reunited with the mainland. China and Taiwan divided amid civil war.

Beijing threatened during Taiwan's election to use force to reunify with Taiwan if the island's leadership dragged their feet on reunification talks. The Dalai Lama, meanwhile, has been seeking autonomy for Tibet since fleeing to India after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.

Also Monday, the Nationalist Party ended weeks of internal debate and said it would allow current Defense Minister Tang Fei to cross party lines and serve as premier in Chen's Cabinet. Tang reportedly backs unification with China.

Chen apparently hopes Tang's appointment will help his party overcome a lack of experience in defense, financial and international affairs. He also hopes Tang will help the DPP steer bills through the Nationalist-led legislature.

However, Tang will be appointed premier as an individual, not as a Nationalist Party member, because Chen has refused to negotiate the position with the Nationalists.

"We will observe the line of multiparty politics," Nationalist Party spokesman Jason Hu said. "Without negotiations, we will not encourage or endorse the appointment."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chen Shui-bian's campaign homepage (in Chinese)
  • English version
Lien Chan's campaign homepage (in Chinese)
  • English version
James Soong's campaign homepage (in Chinese)
  • English version
The Office of the President of the Republic of China
Democratic Progressive Party
Kuomintang Party
CIA World Factbook -- Taiwan
Online Taiwan Newspapers
Taiwan newspapers
Inside China Today
China Today

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