Taipei, Sept. 3 (CNA) The itinerary of the Dalai Lama's current visit in Taiwan was completely consistent with its purpose, said the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Thursday.
The goal of the Dalai Lama's visit is to comfort the souls of the victims of Typhoon Morakot, one of the worst natural disasters in Taiwan in 50 years.
"I believe the people displaced by the typhoon have sensed the Dalai Lama's care and his spiritual enlightenment, " said MAC Vice Chairman Liu Te-shun.
Liu expressed his hope that the Dalai Lama's current visit, the third since 1997, will not lead to any adverse impact on Taiwan-China relations and the mutual trust across the Taiwan Strait that has been built after tremendous efforts made by both sides over the past year.
The exiled Tibetan leader arrived in Taiwan Aug. 30 mainly to comfort typhoon sufferers and lead a prayer meeting in southern Taiwan in the aftermath of the typhoon. He traveled to Taipei Wednesday after completing his mission in the southern county of Kaohsiung, one of the hardest-hit areas.
Local media have reported that the Dalai Lama has been under pressure from the Taiwanese government to keep his visit low-profile and to stay clear of politics. The Dalai Lama canceled a press conference earlier this week, and a second public speech he was scheduled to make at the Taoyuan County Stadium Thursday. He also moved the venue of his speech in Kaohsiung City to his hotel, instead of the 15,000-capacity Kaohsiung Arena, where it was originally supposed to be held.
The scheduled speech Thursday was canceled because the Dalai Lama does not want to see his visit disturb the harmony within Taiwan society or cause any change in the warming cross-Taiwan Strait relationships, said Dawa Tsering, chairman of the Tibet Religious Foundation of H.H. The Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama received Tibetan expatriates and followers of Tibetan Buddhism in Taipei City Thursday amid tight security deployed to maintain order among pro-unification protesters.
More than 1,000 people attended two separate public appearances he gave at the Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei where he is staying.
During the event, audience members were given Om Mani placebo pills and red ornamental threads that had been blessed by the Dalai Lama before they were distributed.
According to Tsering, the Dalai Lama's group did not bring much of the pills, which are more of a symbol of the Tibetan Buddhism prayer, or Om Mani Padma Hum, than a type of medicine.
The Tibetan spiritual leader is not scheduled to make anymore public appearances in Taipei before his departure Friday.
(By Deborah Kuo)
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