China expressed its strong opposition on March 29 to the Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Taiwan, warning that the move may lead to serious consequences.

 

"The visit, with the permission of the Taiwan authorities, will be extremely harmful to cross-Straits relations," said a spokesman with the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

 

The spokesman said that the Dalai Lama's 1997 visit to Taiwan, his first ever to the island, drew fierce protests from the central government.

 

The Dalai Lama, who has long been advocating Tibet's separation from China, is planning to visit Taiwan from March 31 to April 10, media reports said. He will attend spiritual services and meet with Buddhist leaders during his trip.

 

Sun Yafu, Assistant Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council,

told a press conference earlier that this move once again unmasked the support of the

Taiwan authorities for the Dalai Lama's splittist and subversive activities.  

The official pointed out that this also showed clearly that the Taiwan authorities are insincere about improving relations across the Taiwan Straits.