Dalai Lama leaves Taiwan on Friday

The Dalai Lama left Taiwan on Friday after a five-day religious mission that tested the island's rapidly warming relationship with China.

Tibet's exiled spiritual leader left from the Taoyuan International Airport outside Taipei, seen off by more than 100 supporters and monks shouting "Long Live Dalai Lama".

The Dalai Lama arrived in Taiwan at the start of the week for a tour primarily aimed at comforting victims of Typhoon Morakot, which battered the island in early August, killing at least 614.

Although he said repeatedly that his visit was "non-political", he told local media that only time would tell if there would be an impact on Taiwan's ties with China, which considers the island part of its territory.

Local observers argued that short-term tension was inevitable, but that it would not have a longer-term effect since both Taiwan and China had too much to lose.