Meeting Dalai a hostile act against us: China

Beijing: China on Saturday warned that it would consider as it a "major offence" if any country or foreign leader hosts or meets the Dalai Lama as it deems the Tibetan spiritual leader a "separatist" trying to split Tibet from it. "Any country or any organisation of anyone to accept to meet with the Dalai Lama in our view is a major offence to the sentiment of the Chinese people," said Zhang Yijiong, Executive Vice Minister of the United Front Work Department of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC). "Also, since they have committed to recognising China as a sole legitimate government representing Tibet, it contravenes their attempt, because it is a serious commitment," Zhang said on the sidelines of the once-in-a-five-year congress of the CPC.

Zhang said China would not accept the arguments of foreign countries and leaders to meet the 82-year-old Dalai Lama as a religious leader. "I want to make it clear that the 14th Dalai Lama, the living Buddha handed down by history is a political figure under the cloak of religion," he said. Without naming India, he said Dalai Lama fled to the "other country" in 1959 "betraying his motherland and setup his so called government in exile". That "so called government" has the mission of a separatist agenda to split Tibet from China, he said.

"For decades, the group with 14th Dalai Lama as the leader never stopped to achieve that political agenda," he said. There is no legitimate government that that has recognised the Dalai Lama group, he said, adding that fewer countries and leaders are hosting him. Some countries may say the Dalai Lama is not a political figure but a religious figure and their officials meet him not in his political capacity. "But that is not true and not right because every official represent their government and they are political figures," Zhang said.