China opposes meeting, asks US to call it off

Reacting strongly to Barack Obama’s invitation to the Dalai Lama, China today said it was firmly opposed to any such move and asked the US President to call off the meeting. Sino-US tensions resurfaced as Obama decided to invite the Tibetan spiritual leader to the White House, ignoring the Chinese pressure.

Obama is scheduled to meet Dalai Lama at the White House today. He will receive him at the Map Room and not his Oval office, where he welcomes the heads of the states. In a statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Beijing urged the US to immediately call off the proposed meeting.

“The issue regarding Tibet concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and we firmly oppose any foreign official to meet with the Dalai Lama in any form,” he said.

The Chinese foreign ministry and the embassy in the US had lodged solemn representation with the US over the issue in Beijing and Washington, respectively, Hong said. “We request the US to honour its serious commitment that it recognises Tibet as a part of China and opposes ‘it’s independence’, immediately withdraw the decision of arranging the Obama-Dalai Lama meeting, and avoid interfering in China’s internal affairs and damage China-US relations,” he said.A meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama last year, along with Washington’s decision to supply weapons to Taiwan, had ended up causing year-long friction.

China had called off all military contacts, but they were recently resumed, with high-level defence officials from both sides visiting each other.