The Dalai Lama and the President, 2011. Photo c/o whitehouse.gov.
The President just met with His Holiness The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Buddhism on earth, a belief system with almost 400 million adherents world wide. The meeting has been public but not well publicized, as China has publicly groused about the meeting. This will be the second hosting at the White House since the President was elected.
The Chinese foreign ministry released this statement regarding the visit:
“Q: It is reported that US President Obama is scheduled to have an unofficial meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House. What is China’s comment?
A: We are deeply concerned and have lodged solemn representations with the US side. We must point out that Tibet-related affairs fall entirely within the internal affairs of China which allow no foreign interference. The Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion. By arranging a meeting between the President and the Dalai Lama, the US side will grossly interfere in the internal affairs of China, seriously violate norms governing international relations and severely impair China-US relations. China expresses firm opposition. We urge the US to take China’s concerns seriously, immediately cancel the meeting, and not to provide facilitation and platform for the Dalai Lama to carry out anti-China separatist activities in the US.”
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