Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Monk Tashi Sonam of Nyatso monastery being treated for a bullet wound to his head after Chinese security forces opened live fire on Tibetans gathered to offer prayers on the 78th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tawu region of eastern Tibet on July 6, 2013.

DHARAMSHALA, July 8: A Tibetan monk is in critical condition and several others, including a brother of a self-immolator, have been severely injured after Chinese security forces opened fire and used tear gas to disperse a crowd gathered to mark the 78th birthday of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Tawu region of eastern Tibet.

The incident occurred when hundreds of Tibetans from Tawu joined monks from the Nyatso Monastery and nuns from the Geden Choeling Nunnery on the morning of July 6 to offer prayers to mark the 78th birthday of the Dalai Lama at a nearby hill used for making and prayer offerings.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said that its latest survey suggested 77.6 percent of those polled identify themselves as Taiwanese, while only 10.1 percent identify themselves as Chinese.

When asked what is the core value that Taiwan should uphold when conducting cross-strait exchanges, 31 percent of the interviewed said “national sovereignty,” 27.5 percent said “peaceful relations between both sides of the Strait” and 11 percent said “economic development.”