China Angry at Taiwan Inviting Dalai Lama to Comfort Victims

China has formally criticized Taiwan inviting the Dalai Lama to the country. While the Dalai Lama intends to offer his condolences to the victims of Typhoon Morakot, China sees his visit as supporting Taiwan`s independence from China.

Beijing`s Taiwan Affairs Bureau has reportedly released a statement drawing attention to the political role of the Tibetan spiritual leader, suggesting that inviting the Dalai Lama is a wily attempt to weaken China's already tenuous claim to Taiwan.

The statement says that the Morakot disaster is being used as an `excuse` to publicly show solidarity with the Dalai Lama whom it refers to as a separatist.