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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Dalai Lama to Visit Taiwan

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(AP) – Taiwan has agreed to let the Dalai Lama visit the island to comfort survivors of a devastating typhoon, a decision that could anger China. Beijing considers the Buddhist spiritual leader a "splittist" for promoting autonomy in the Chinese region of Tibet. Allowing him to visit Taiwan could undermine the rapidly improving relations between Beijing and Taipei, which have been developing close business ties after decades of enmity.

China claims self-governing Taiwan as part of its territory, though they split amid civil war in 1949. Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou made the surprise announcement Thursday when he visited a school destroyed in mudslides triggered by Typhoon Morakot early this month. The storm claimed 670 lives.

Mudslides following Typhoon Morakot killed nearly 700 in Taiwan.
Mudslides following Typhoon Morakot killed nearly 700 in Taiwan.   (AP Photo)
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.   (AP Photo)
The Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama.   (AP Photo)
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6 comments
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ryderbackside
Aug 26, 09 9:34 PM CDT
Dalai Lama eh? I recommend the Penn & Teller Bullsh*t episode about this guy, and Mother Teresa, etc. Funny and thought provoking. Reply
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Newser001
Aug 26, 09 9:44 PM CDT
This aught to piss off those on the mainland, rather seriously... Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
shonangreg
Aug 27, 09 12:16 AM CDT
I think no Taiwanese government official will meet with him while there, other than the "mayors" who have invited him. It will be almost the same as what happens when he comes to Japan -- just a private engagement. Could that "officially" offend China?
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Jayster999
Aug 26, 09 10:38 PM CDT
If we would have backed Chiang ki Shek instead of selling him out like we later did Cuba, the people in Taiwan would not be living with the sword of Damocles hanging over them. We had pro-communists at the highest levels of the state department decades ago--I guess some things never do change. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
rod_long
Aug 26, 09 11:07 PM CDT
I think you're falsely blaming these mythical pro-communists in the US State Department. The US stayed as nuetral as possible during the communist takeover of mainlaind China because they didn't want to provoke a war with the Soviet Union. Relations between the US and the USSR were very shakey after WW2 and both sides had itchy trigger fingers. In hindsight, yes, we all agree that the US shoud've backed the forces in the south (before they fled to Taiwan) - the world might have been incredibly different. But that was then, and this is now.
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