Post by ۞Quaalude™۞ on Feb 12, 2010 13:48:40 GMT -5
China has again urged the United States to cancel a planned meeting between President Barack Obama and the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
The two men will meet at the White House on 18 February, US spokesman Robert Gibbs has confirmed.
He said the Sino-US relationship was mature enough to disagree while finding common ground on international issues.
China had already said that such a meeting would seriously undermine relations with the United States.
Mr Gibbs said the Dalai Lama was "an internationally respected religious leader".
"He's a spokesman for Tibetan rights. The president looks forward to an engaging and constructive meeting," he said.
"We think we have a mature enough relationship with the Chinese that we can agree on mutual interests, but also have a mature enough relationship that we know the two countries are not always going to agree on everything."
China reacted quickly to the announcement through its Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.
"We firmly oppose the Dalai Lama visiting the United States and US leaders having contact with him," Mr Ma said.
"We urge the US side to fully understand the high sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, and honour its commitment to recognise Tibet as part of China and to oppose 'Tibet independence'," he added.
"China urges the US... to immediately call off the wrong decision of arranging for President Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama... to avoid any more damage to Sino-US relations."
China, which took over Tibet in 1950, considers the Dalai Lama a separatist and tries to isolate the spiritual leader by asking foreign leaders not to see him.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule and has since been living in India QC
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8511912.stm
The two men will meet at the White House on 18 February, US spokesman Robert Gibbs has confirmed.
He said the Sino-US relationship was mature enough to disagree while finding common ground on international issues.
China had already said that such a meeting would seriously undermine relations with the United States.
Mr Gibbs said the Dalai Lama was "an internationally respected religious leader".
"He's a spokesman for Tibetan rights. The president looks forward to an engaging and constructive meeting," he said.
"We think we have a mature enough relationship with the Chinese that we can agree on mutual interests, but also have a mature enough relationship that we know the two countries are not always going to agree on everything."
China reacted quickly to the announcement through its Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.
"We firmly oppose the Dalai Lama visiting the United States and US leaders having contact with him," Mr Ma said.
"We urge the US side to fully understand the high sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, and honour its commitment to recognise Tibet as part of China and to oppose 'Tibet independence'," he added.
"China urges the US... to immediately call off the wrong decision of arranging for President Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama... to avoid any more damage to Sino-US relations."
China, which took over Tibet in 1950, considers the Dalai Lama a separatist and tries to isolate the spiritual leader by asking foreign leaders not to see him.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule and has since been living in India QC
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8511912.stm