RPT-Dalai Lama aims for '09 Taiwan visit, official says

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TAIPEI Dec 1 (Reuters) - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama hopes to visit Taiwan next year, an official close to him said on Monday, a move that could set back Beijing's recently improved ties with the self-ruled island it claims as its own.

Beijing calls the Dalai Lama a "splittist", or separatist, for advocating self-determination for his homeland and accuses him of secretly harbouring pro-independence sentiments for the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Beijing routinely condemns his visits with political leaders outside China.

China is also particularly sensitive about Taiwan, which it has claimed since 1949 when Mao Zedong's Communists won the Chinese civil war and Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Party (KMT) fled to the island.

Beijing has vowed to bring Taiwan under its rule, by force if necessary.

The Dalai Lama aims to visit Taiwan to see friends and teach religion, said Khedroob Thondup, a Taipei-based member of Tibet's parliament-in-exile.

The Dalai Lama visited Taiwan in 1997 and 2002.

"He has so many friends in Taiwan, and they are waiting for his return," Thondup said. "I personally hope that no one will object, except for Beijing."

Taiwan's government would need to approve the Dalai Lama's visit, challenging China-Taiwan relations that have improved rapidly since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May.

Last month, China pulled out of a summit in France over French President Nicolas Sarkozy's decision to meet with the Dalai Lama.

China has repeatedly lashed out at the Dalai Lama over a deadly March 14 riot in Tibet's capital, Lhasa.

(Reporting by Ralph Jennings; Editing by Paul Tait)