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China Lodges Official Protest of Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting

   VOA News 19 February 2010
   Tibet supporters in Washington, D.C.

Photo: AP

   Tsewang  Lhamo,  71,  of  New York, center, holds a photo of President
   Barack Obama with the Dalai Lama during a rally in Washington, D.C. of
   Tibetans  in support of the Dalai Lama's meeting with President Obama,
   18 Feb 2010

   Officials  in  Beijing  have  summoned the U.S. ambassador to China to
   protest President Barack Obama's meeting Thursday with the Dalai Lama,
   the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet.
   The  Chinese  Foreign  Ministry says Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai
   summoned  Ambassador Jon Huntsman to lodge what the ministry called "a
   solemn representation" about Mr. Obama's meeting.
   Hours  after  talks  between  the  two  Nobel Peace laureates ended in
   Washington,  a  Chinese  Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu issued a
   statement  saying the meeting went against repeated commitments by the
   U.S. government to recognize Tibet as a part of China, and not support
   Tibetan independence.
   During  the  meeting,  President Obama told the Dalai Lama he strongly
   supports  preservation  of  Tibet's  unique  religious,  cultural  and
   linguistic  identity,  and the protection of human rights for Tibetans
   in China.
   A  statement  from  the  White  House said the president commended the
   Dalai  Lama's  commitment  to  nonviolence and his pursuit of dialogue
   with  the  Chinese  government.  It said the two leaders agreed on the
   importance of a "positive and cooperative" U.S.-China relationship.
   Speaking  to  reporters  after  the meeting, the Dalai Lama said he is
   "very  happy"  and it was a great honor to see the president.  He said
   he  and  Mr.  Obama  discussed  the promotion of religious harmony and
   human values, and the increased role of women in leadership roles.
   China  regularly  protests  U.S. contacts with the Dalai Lama. Beijing
   last  week  called  on  the  U.S.  to "immediately withdraw" the Dalai
   Lama's invitation to the White House.
   U.S.  Secretary  of  State  Hillary  Clinton was also meeting with the
   Dalai Lama Thursday.
   The  White  House talks took place a room called the Map Room, and not
   in  Mr.  Obama's  official  office,  the Oval Office.  The White House
   released  an official photograph from the meeting, which was closed to
   the press.

   The  Dalai  Lama  said he expressed his thanks Mr. Obama for always is
   showing  his  genuine  concern  about  Tibet  and other global issues,
   including during his visit last year to Beijing.
   China's  Foreign  Ministry  said  last  week the meeting could further
   damage  U.S.-China  relations,  which have recently been strained by a
   planned  U.S.  weapons  sale  to  Taiwan,  disagreements  over China's
   currency  exchange  rate  and  U.S.  concerns  over  Chinese  Internet
   censorship.
   The  Dalai  Lama  fled  Tibet  in 1959 after a failed uprising against
   Chinese  rule.  He says he is not seeking independence for Tibet, just
   greater autonomy.  China considers him a separatist.

   Some information for this report provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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