Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) said yesterday that the “nation’s benefits as a whole” should be taken into account when deciding on whether to issue a visa to the Dalai Lama, who has been invited by Taiwan’s religious and civil groups for a visit to the nation.
A group of Taiwanese religious representatives went to Dharamsala in India and on Monday met with the Dalai Lama, 80, who has renewed tension with the Chinese government by saying that he might not reincarnate after death, according to the Central News Agency (CNA).
The group reportedly brought a joint invitation from 15 Taiwanese organizations for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, hoping that he would visit Taiwan in the near future.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) yesterday asked Mao during a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei whether the government would issue a visa to the Dalai Lama.
“The government would handle the case based on the principle of making sure [the visit] is in line with the benefits of Taiwanese, and handle it according to due regulations at a time and in a way that is acceptable to both parties,” Mao said.
“Who are the two parties? Taiwan and China?” Tsai asked, to which Mao said he meant Taiwan and the applicant.
Tsai asked why the government could not decide whether to welcome the spiritual leader when the Dalai Lama said that he would be glad to come.
“It would be a plus to Taiwan, as his visit would [symbolize] kindness, brightness, freedom and human rights; what damage would it incur to Taiwan? It is not like he would bring guns and cannons with him,” Tsai said.
When asked for his personal judgement, Mao said the decision should not be a personal one, as “it is to be considered from a perspective of the whole nation’s benefits.”
Tsai panned the government for bowing to Chinese pressure and requiring Beijing’s approval for the Dalai Lama’s visit, an accusation that Mao dismissed.
The Dalai Lama was quoted by CNA as saying that he would be “extremely happy” if he could visit his longtime Taiwanese friends.
“[The visit] is possible, but I’m not so sure,” he was quoted as saying.
The Tibetan spiritual leader visited Taiwan in 1997, 2001 and 2009, but was rejected when he intended to make a fourth trip in 2012.
He was initially rejected in 2008, months after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was sworn in for his first term, for a trip to Taiwan in 2009, but in the end came at the DPP’s invitation to offer prayers for the victims of Typhoon Morakot, which had ravaged the country.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Tainan at 11:47am today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 32.3km northeast of Tainan City Hall at a depth of 7.3km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Tainan and Chiayi County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Chiayi City and County, and Yunlin County, while it was measured as 2 in Kaohsiung, Nantou County, Changhua County, Taitung County and offshore Penghu County, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of
Weather conditions across Taiwan are expected to remain stable today, but cloudy to rainy skies are expected from tomorrow onward due to increasing moisture in the atmosphere, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). Daytime highs today are expected to hit 25-27°C in western Taiwan and 22-24°C in the eastern counties of Yilan, Hualien, and Taitung, data on the CWA website indicated. After sunset, temperatures could drop to 16-17°C in most parts of Taiwan. For tomorrow, precipitation is likely in northern Taiwan as a cloud system moves in from China. Daytime temperatures are expected to hover around 25°C, the CWA said. Starting Monday, areas
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
Taiwan has recorded its first fatal case of Coxsackie B5 enterovirus in 10 years after a one-year-old boy from southern Taiwan died from complications early last month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. CDC spokesman Lo Yi-chun (羅一鈞) told a news conference that the child initially developed a fever and respiratory symptoms before experiencing seizures and loss of consciousness. The boy was diagnosed with acute encephalitis and admitted to intensive care, but his condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed away on the sixth day of illness, Lo said. This also marks Taiwan’s third enterovirus-related death this year and the first severe
RSS