Barack Obama to meet Dalai Lama despite China’s repeated ‘warnings’

China has repeated its “warning” of “serious damage” to its relations with the United States if President Barack Obama does not cancel his planned meeting with the self-exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in the White House on February 18, 2010.

Photo: Dalai Lama

The United States has confirmed that the meeting will take place as scheduled.

Reacting to China’s “warnings,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US-China relations are “mature enough” to disagree on certain matters even while agreeing on some international issues.

China has reiterated that the proposed meeting between United States President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama will “seriously undermine” its relations with the United States.

Photo: Barack Obama with Michelle Obama

China, which occupied Tibet in 1950, regards the Dalai Lama as a “separatist” and has always strived to isolate the globally respected spiritual leader by urging foreign leaders not to meet him.

The Dalai Lama had fled Tibet in 1959, after an uprising against the Chinese occupation of Tibet had failed. He has since been living in Dharamsala in the state of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs stressed that the Dalai Lama is not only an internationally respected spiritual leader but also a spokesman for the rights of Tibet and the Tibetans.

The President, Robert Gibbs added, is looking forward to an “engaging and constructive meeting” with the Dalai Lama.

China was quick in reacting to the US announcement of the confirmation of the meeting between Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama through its spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Ma Zhaoxu.

Ma Zhaoxu said China strongly opposes the Dalai Lama’s visiting the United States and the leaders of the United States contacting with him. He spoke on the “high sensitivity” of the issues relating to Tibet, on the commitment the US has made to recognise Tibet as a part of China, and to oppose independence for Tibet.

Therefore, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said, China urges the United States to cancel President Barack Obama’s decision to meet the Dalai Lama in order to “prevent any more damage” to the China-US relations.

It may be noted that President Barack Obama had avoided, in 2009, meeting the Dalai Lama in Washington prior to his first state visit to China. However, on his first trip to China, Obama had made it clear to the Chinese leaders that he will certainly meet the spiritual leader of Tibet.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet the Dalai Lama on February 18, 2010, in the White House Map Room, and not in the surroundings of the Oval Office, where the President normally meets foreign leaders and celebrity guests.

The meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama comes on the heels of China expressing severe displeasure over the United States selling advanced weapons worth $6.4 billion to Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan as its territory, to be “reunified” by force, if need be.

President George W Bush, Barack Obama’s immediate predecessor, had met the Dalai Lama at the White House.