Taipei: Representative Bawa Kelsang Gyatsen from the Office of Tibet based in Taiwan met Chen Shui Bian, former President of Taiwan at his residence on Tuesday, 10 August. Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen was accompanied by the Secretary of OoT Sonam Dorjee, and the Director of Gangjong Printing Press.

Offering a ceremonial Tibetan white scarf to the former President by the Representative, Secretary Sonam Dorje explained the reasons behind the visit. The successive Representatives of the OOT have met with the former President till now. However, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen has not been able to pay a visit to the former President. Since the situation has improved a little, he has come to offer his greetings now.

The former President Chen Shiu Bian enquired about His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s health and expressed his fervent desire for His Holiness the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan. He said that His Holiness is a world renowned spiritual figure with a huge following in Taiwan. He also explained that when he was the President of Taiwan, he officially recognised Central Tibetan Administration as a government and validated the Identity Certificate (IC) which set the precedent for successive Taiwanese governments to give official visas on the IC.

Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen briefed the former President on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s health and updated him on the Tibet Policy and Support Act (TPSA) passed by the US government on Tibet. He also apprised the former President on the recent Sikyong election, the significance of the term Central Tibetan Administration, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s fourth commitment ‘Revival of ancient Indian wisdom’, and the initiatives of OoT Taiwan particularly the books published in Chinese language by Gangjong Printing Press on Tibet and Tibet-related subjects.

The meeting which lasted for over an hour was facilitated by Taiwanese member of Parliament Kuo Kuo-Wen who also attended the meeting. The MP promised support to resolve difficulties faced by Tibetan students on the duration of Visas on Tibetan IC. The former President also urged the MP to extend his support and assistance on the matter.

Following the discussions, Representative Kelsang Gyaltsen presented a few books published by Gangjong Printing Press to the former President.

Filed by OOT Taiwan