Taipei, March 17 (CNA) The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) expressed grave concern over China's crackdown on Tibetan protesters and urge China to respect its pledge of a "high degree of autonomy" in the Himalayan region, SEF Chairman Hung Chi-chang said Monday.
"We expressed our serious concerns over China's crackdown in Tibet and urged China to stop its military actions in Tibet and the adjoining provinces of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan," Hung said.
"The culture and religious freedom of Tibetans should be respected by all, " Hung said of the military action that has left over 100 people dead following a protest in Lhasa, capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR).
Hundreds of Tibetans have died in unrest in Lhasa and elsewhere, the India-based Tibetan parliament-in-exile said in a statement Monday.
Hung addressed the issue in a much softer tone and with cautious wording, using "concern" rather than "condemn, " which was seen in statements released earlier by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) .
The SEF is a semi-official organization funded by Taiwan's government to handle consultations and technical affairs with China in the absence of official ties.
The MOFA and MAC both condemned China for its human rights violations and use of force in official statements released last weekend.
Responding to a reporter's question, Hung said there were many ways to express concern and condemnation was one of them.
"It was obvious the Tibetans could no longer tolerate China's 'cultural genocide, ' as the Dalai Lama described it, in Tibet. The Dalai Lama has literally given up the Tibetan independence movement and settled for a 'meaningful autonomy' and the preservation of Tibetan culture and religious freedom. Even so, China still pulled the triggers, " he said.
The Constitution of the Republic of China, which still claims sovereignty over Tibet, has put Taiwan in an awkward position on the "Tibet issue." The ministry-level Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission was established under the Executive Yuan to preserve Mongolian and Tibetan cultures.
The independence-seeking ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government has not publicly supported the Tibetan independence movement.
However, what is happening in Tibet will be an election issue, Hung said.
"It is a living lesson for Taiwan's 23 million people that China still decided to go ahead with the crackdown despite the enormous international attention focused on the Tibet situation, especially ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August, " he said.
"While China has repeatedly stressed its peaceful rise and intention to seek stability, Taiwan's sovereignty should be respected and affirmed in the process of cross-strait dialogue, " he said.
"Fortunately, Taiwan is able to enjoy full sovereignty while Tibet has been under China's control, " he said.