China Urges U.S. Not Meet Dalai Lama

World News - China asks U.S. President, Barack Obama, canceled his decision to meet Dalai Lama and not "interfere in domestic affairs of China", said Foreign Ministry spokesman of China, Hong Lei, in Beijing, Saturday (07/16/2011).

Dalai Lama

After the White House announced the meeting would be held this Saturday, the ministry and the Chinese ambassador in the U.S. filed opposition, Hong said in a statement on the ministry's network. Beijing urged Washington to "immediately change its decision to cancel a meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama" and to "respect the serious commitment that recognizes Tibet as part of China", the statement said.

"The meeting underscored the strong support of President for the maintenance of the unique identities of religion, culture and language in Tibet and Tibetan people's rights are protected," the White House said in a statement.

The White House issued the announcement on Friday night local time, after a long silence whether Obama would meet with the exiled Tibetan leader, who is scheduled to leave the United States on Saturday, after a visit of 11 hours in Washington to lead thousands of people in a Buddhist meditation ritual.

The visit comes as relations between the two major countries in the Pacific is murky. Tensions also rose in the South China Sea between Beijing and five other countries in the region, who also filed a claim for territory in these waters.

The White House declared Obama "will highlight his support for dialogue between representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government to resolve differences of opinion". Dalai Lama, who is very famous in the United States, has lived in exile since 1959. Nobel Peace Prize winner said he peacefully fight for the rights of Tibetans and accept Chinese rule. But Beijing insists it tends to split China and routinely protest meeting outside the country.