"We have decided to allow the Dalai Lama's visit to pray for the souls of the deceased and seek blessings for the survivors of the typhoon," Ma told reporters in central Nantou county.
The Dalai Lama, whom Beijing has accused of trying to split Tibet from China, confirmed his trip after the president's announcement.
The visit, scheduled for August 30 to September 4, was harshly criticised in Beijing, according to state media.
"The Dalai Lama is not a pure religious figure," an unnamed spokesman for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office was quoted saying by the Xinhua news agency, hours after Ma approved the invitation.
"Under the pretext of religion, he has all along been engaged in separatist activities."
The Chinese don't like the exiled leader of a conquered region of China (Tibet) to visit a region of China (as the rulers in Peking see Taiwan) that China still wishes to conquer? Fancy that. I guess charm has its limits.
Really, Taiwan's existence is one big stew of separatist activities mocking China's communist rulers.
My hope is that the Dalai Lama finds the time to remind Ma and the Taiwanese people that they would be fools to let their defenses deteriorate so much that China can turn Taiwan's leaders into exiles without homes and the people of Taiwan into just another subject people slaved to the will of the CCP.
UPDATE: The Dalai Lama did remind the Taiwanese that they should cherish their democracy:
"You enjoy democracy, you must preserve it. I tell my friends no matter what political party (they belong to)," he said. "I myself am totally dedicated to the promotion of democracy."
As bad as the typhoon was, the biggest disasters are man-made, after all.
