Taiwan welcomes Dalai Lama

About 30,000 people - Taiwanese citizens and Tibetans in exile - bought tickets to attend the event at the Linkou stadium in the capital, Taipei. The Dalai Lama insists he is visiting the island only for religious reasons, although he will meet some government leaders. But a BBC correspondent in Taipei says China, which has protested against the Dalai Lama's presence in Taiwan, will be further angered to see him greeted like a head of state. Taiwan's vice-president, Annette Lu, shared a stage with the Dalai Lama and appealed for peace and understanding from Beijing. Ms Lu, whom China has condemned for describing Taiwan and China as "close neighbours but distant relatives", thanked the Dalai Lama for braving China's disapproval and showing concern for Taiwan.