Dalai Lama heads for Taiwan

NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Despite opposition from China, the Dalai Lama left India for Taiwan Sunday, where he was to pray for victims of Typhoon Morakot, authorities said.

China long has accused Taiwan of separatism and the Dalai Lama of advocating for Tibetan independence from China.

The Dalai Lama had no political aim for his visit, his spokesman Tenzin Taklha told CNN Sunday.

The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet for India in 1959, was to pray for Taiwanese residents battered by the Aug. 8 typhoon, which killed more than 400 and caused mudslides and floods throughout the island, CNN reported.

The visit was approved by Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, who has taken a more conciliatory approach with China than his predecessor Chen Shui-bian, who rejected China's assertion that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, CNN reported.

The Dalai Lama was scheduled to return to India Friday.