Ma is forced to choose or face more attacks from DDP.

This is politics. YST is too emotional here to understand the hard position he is in even though I do enjoy his posts most of the time.

PRC also understand his position, but still punished Ma by canceling delegations to Taiwan, cancelled celebration of direct flights between China and Taiwan, rebuked DDP for their political ploy. Dalai may have gain a little fame again, but the protests by civilians, Buddhist religious leaders, his shortening of stages to "perform" in these days also curbed most of his theatrics. It was still a smart play by DDP, that is why it was difficult to find a complete counter-move except this way.