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Tibetan PM admires
state of Taiwanese democracy
Staff writer, with CNA, TOKYO
The political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile expressed his admiration
for Taiwanˇ¦s democracy on Tuesday.
However, Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay, who arrived in Tokyo on Sunday,
said he was not sure whether a democratic Taiwan could serve as a catalyst for
China to implement democratic reforms.
Citing the example of Hong Kong, Sangay said many people had predicted that the
former British colony would be able to influence China through what he described
as the territoryˇ¦s ˇ§free system.ˇ¨
ˇ§But it turned out to be just the contrary, with China exercising far-reaching
influence over Hong Kong as evidenced by the just-concluded election of the
chief executive of Hong Kong,ˇ¨ he said. ˇ§Therefore, itˇ¦s hard to say at the
moment which one ˇX Taiwan or China ˇX will have more effect on the other.ˇ¨
Sangay said he would be happy to visit Taiwan if such a visit were permitted by
Taiwanese authorities, although he said a visit is unlikely because it would
definitely be blocked by Beijing.
Regarding the idea of ˇ§one country, two areas (¤@°ę¨â°Ď),ˇ¨ floated by former Chinese
Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Wu Poh-hsiung (§d§B¶Ż) with regard to cross-strait
relations, Sangay said the adoption of such a policy should be determined by the
Taiwanese people.
Asked about reports of recent self-immolations by Tibetan monks, Sangay said he
initially considered them a way for Tibetan monks to express the ˇ§hopelessnessˇ¨
of their futures.
ˇ§But I finally came to understand that the immolations were strong messages
beamed out by the Tibetans about their suffering and bitterness under the
iron-hand suppression of China, as well as their desire for their spiritual
leader ˇX the Dalai Lama ˇX to return to Tibet,ˇ¨ he said.
If Beijing were to discontinue its oppressive rule of Tibet, then no more
immolations would take place, Sangay said, adding that Beijing should take
responsibility, communicate with the Tibetan government-in-exile and stop
demonizing the Dalai Lama.
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