Beijing, Feb 12 (Inditop.com) China Friday asked the US to immediately withdraw a decision to hold a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
“China firmly opposes the Dalai Lama visiting the United States and US leaders’ contacting with him,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said Friday, adding China’s position on the issue has been “consistent and clear”.
Ma said China has made repeated solemn representations with the US over Obama’s possible meeting with the Dalai Lama.
“We urge the US side to fully understand the high sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, honour its commitment to recognise Tibet as part of China and oppose ‘Tibet independence’,” Xinhua news agency quoted Ma as saying.
Ma also called on the US to refrain from offering the Dalai Lama venue and “convenience for his engagement in anti-China splitting activities, and undermining the stability of Tibet and interfering in China’s internal affairs, so as to avoid further damage to Sino-US relations”.
DPA adds: White House spokesman Robert Gibbs Thursday said Obama planned to meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader at the White House Feb 18.
Obama had postponed a meeting with the Dalai Lama last autumn to avoid upsetting China before the US president’s first visit to Beijing in November.
Gibbs said the Dalai Lama was an “internationally respected religious leader and spokesman for Tibetan rights”, and that Obama “looks forward to an engaging and constructive dialogue” with him.
US-Chinese relations have hit a snag in recent weeks over financial and economic differences, and US plans to sell weapons to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rogue province.
Gibbs sought to play down the long-term impact of the recent differences between the two sides.
“We have a mature enough relationship with the Chinese that we can agree on issues that are of mutual interest, but we also have a mature enough relationship that we know the two countries on this planet are not always going to agree on everything, and we’ll have
those disagreements,” he said.
The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959. His government-in-exile is not recognised by any country.
