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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Dalai Lama holds Taiwan prayers | Dalai Lama holds Taiwan prayers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has held a prayer ceremony in southern Taiwan in memory of the victims of last month's typhoon. | The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has held a prayer ceremony in southern Taiwan in memory of the victims of last month's typhoon. |
| It was the Dalai Lama's first major public appearance since he arrived on the island on Sunday. | It was the Dalai Lama's first major public appearance since he arrived on the island on Sunday. |
| He has described his trip as non-political, but China has condemned it. | He has described his trip as non-political, but China has condemned it. |
| It has reportedly postponed several delegations to Taiwan, at a time when relations between Beijing and Taipei have otherwise been improving. | It has reportedly postponed several delegations to Taiwan, at a time when relations between Beijing and Taipei have otherwise been improving. |
| China considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist who is seeking Tibetan independence, and often criticises his official foreign visits. | China considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist who is seeking Tibetan independence, and often criticises his official foreign visits. |
| The trip to Taiwan is especially sensitive given that Beijing considers Taiwan - along with Tibet - as part of Chinese territory. | The trip to Taiwan is especially sensitive given that Beijing considers Taiwan - along with Tibet - as part of Chinese territory. |
| Remembering the dead | Remembering the dead |
| About 20,000 people assembled in the arena in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Tuesday to see the Dalai Lama. | About 20,000 people assembled in the arena in the southern city of Kaohsiung on Tuesday to see the Dalai Lama. |
| Many of the people there were Tibetan Buddhists from all over Taiwan, but a lot were also typhoon victims, according to the BBC's correspondent in the country, Cindy Sui. | Many of the people there were Tibetan Buddhists from all over Taiwan, but a lot were also typhoon victims, according to the BBC's correspondent in the country, Cindy Sui. |
| Many survivors of the typhoon say the government reacted too slowly | |
| The 74-year-old monk said he shared the sorrow of those who lost their loved ones during Typhoon Morakot, which hit Taiwan on 7 August and left more than 600 people dead or missing. | The 74-year-old monk said he shared the sorrow of those who lost their loved ones during Typhoon Morakot, which hit Taiwan on 7 August and left more than 600 people dead or missing. |
| The people prayed and chanted with the Dalai Lama in unison. At one point he even cracked a joke, saying: "I'm chanting in Tibetan and you'll be chanting in Mandarin, but it's going to sound like chaos." | The people prayed and chanted with the Dalai Lama in unison. At one point he even cracked a joke, saying: "I'm chanting in Tibetan and you'll be chanting in Mandarin, but it's going to sound like chaos." |
| According to our correspondent, nobody in the Kaohsiung arena was thinking about politics - they were simply very eager to get the spiritual message the Dalai Lama wanted to give them. | According to our correspondent, nobody in the Kaohsiung arena was thinking about politics - they were simply very eager to get the spiritual message the Dalai Lama wanted to give them. |
| But the trip is undoubtedly causing strain on Beijing-Taipei relations. | But the trip is undoubtedly causing strain on Beijing-Taipei relations. |
| On Sunday a statement from China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the Dalai Lama's visit was "bound to have a negative influence on the relations between the mainland and Taiwan". | On Sunday a statement from China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the Dalai Lama's visit was "bound to have a negative influence on the relations between the mainland and Taiwan". |
| Chen Shu-rong, spokeswoman for Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party, told reporters that a senior Communist Party official had already cancelled a visit to Taipei, and a Chinese delegation would not take part in Saturday's opening of the Deaf Olympics. | Chen Shu-rong, spokeswoman for Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party, told reporters that a senior Communist Party official had already cancelled a visit to Taipei, and a Chinese delegation would not take part in Saturday's opening of the Deaf Olympics. |
| Ms Chen told the Associated Press that while she could not confirm that that these actions were taken directly because of the Dalai Lama's visit, "we do not exclude the possibility". | Ms Chen told the Associated Press that while she could not confirm that that these actions were taken directly because of the Dalai Lama's visit, "we do not exclude the possibility". |
| Little choice | Little choice |
| Apart from the Dalai Lama's visit, Taiwan's KMT Party has actually been strengthening its ties with China in recent months. | Apart from the Dalai Lama's visit, Taiwan's KMT Party has actually been strengthening its ties with China in recent months. |
| The Chinese government considers President Ma Ying-jeou's administration far easier to deal with than the island's previous pro-independence leadership. | The Chinese government considers President Ma Ying-jeou's administration far easier to deal with than the island's previous pro-independence leadership. |
| But according to our correspondent, Mr Ma had little choice when the opposition party requested an invitation to the Dalai Lama to pray for typhoon victims. | But according to our correspondent, Mr Ma had little choice when the opposition party requested an invitation to the Dalai Lama to pray for typhoon victims. |
| His government had been accused of offering a slow and inefficient response to the typhoon, and our correspondent says he could not afford to hurt his and his party's image any further. | His government had been accused of offering a slow and inefficient response to the typhoon, and our correspondent says he could not afford to hurt his and his party's image any further. |