Obama articulated the U.S. position during a closed-door meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House's Map Room, instead of the Oval Office, where he usually receives foreign dignitaries.
"The president reiterated the U.S. position that Tibet is part of the People's Republic of China and that the United States does not support Tibet independence," the White House said in a statement.
Obama stressed he "encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences" over Tibet, said the statement.
The meeting was held despite Beijing's strong protests. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying urged the U.S. side to cancel the meeting and "not to facilitate or offer occasion for the Dalai Lama to conduct anti-China secessionist moves."
- Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Friday night summoned Daniel Kritenbrink, charge d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in China, to lodge solemn representations.
China holds that the Dalai Lama is in nature a political exile who has been engaged in secessionist activities under the cloak of religion.
- Beijing opposes any foreign leader's meeting with the Dalai Lama in any form.
22/2/14
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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang's Regular Press Conference on March 7, 2014. - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China....
ReplyDelete......Q: US congress leaders and a few lawmakers met Dalai the other day. What is China's comment?
A: We are strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the meeting of Dalai by US congress leaders and a few lawmakers. China has lodged solemn representations with the US.
I want to reiterate that Tibet is a sacred and inalianable part of China's territory. Tibet-related affairs fall entirely within China's internal affairs. What Dalai said and did in the past decades have shown that he is a political exile who has long been engaged in splitting China under the cloak of religion. China urges the US congress to honor the commitment the US side has made of recognizing Tibet as one part of China and not supporting "Tibet independence", stop interfering in China's internal affairs with Tibet-related affairs, cease to connive at and support anti-China separatist activities by "Tibet independence" forces, and do more things that promote friendship between the two peoples and bilateral relations rather than the opposite.
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/xwfw/s2510/t1135204.shtml
7/3/14