Dalai Lama Obama Meeting: China Unhappy
President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama meet up at the White House.
President Obama and the Dalai Lama went ahead with their meeting at the White House on Thursday, despite strong objections from China. Relations between the United States and China have hit an all-time low now for three major reasons, the Dalai Lama's meeting with US President Obama, the US arms sale to Taiwan, a country China says belongs to them, and the Internet war between the two countries. The White House said there was nothing wrong with hosting the Tibetan leader citing that he was an internationally respected religious leader. The US tried as hard as possible to keep the event as low key as possible. The meeting was held at the White House's Map Room instead of the official Oval Office, just to project to China that this was a private meeting and not something political. But immediately after the meeting, the Dalai Lama interacted with reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, and his comments were broadcast live on international television. The spiritual leader also met up with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Nevertheless, China isn't happy. The foreign ministry of China immediately condemned the meeting, and one of its spokesman said, "The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this meeting. China demands the US seriously consider China's stance, immediately adopt measures to wipe out the adverse impact, (and) stop conniving and supporting anti-China separatist forces. The meeting grossly violated the norms governing ... international relations." Xinhua news agency also quoted spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, "The US act grossly violated the norms governing international relations. It also went against the repeated commitments by the US government that the US recognizes Tibet as part of China and gives no support to 'Tibet independence'". Zhu Weiqun, a senior Communist Party leader said, "The meeting between the Dalai Lama and Obama could seriously undermine the Sino-US political relations. We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes." China scholar David Shambaugh said, "The meeting is another event in the recent, one has to say, downward spiral in US-China relations. It's also troublesome for the Chinese for one other important reason. He could have met him as a spiritual leader in a neutral place like a church. But receiving him in the White House is a political act. And that is going to irritate China very much."
China is the fastest growing export market for the United States. In a poll conducted, almost 2 out of 3 Americans say that Tibet should be an independent country. In 1950, Chinese troops entered Tibet. In 1959, the Dalai Lama led a failed uprising against the Chinese rule, and then fled to India, where he has been ever since in exile. Interestingly, from 1991 onwards, the Dalai Lama has met each and every sitting president of the United States, with each meeting only agitating China more and more.
Nevertheless, China isn't happy. The foreign ministry of China immediately condemned the meeting, and one of its spokesman said, "The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to this meeting. China demands the US seriously consider China's stance, immediately adopt measures to wipe out the adverse impact, (and) stop conniving and supporting anti-China separatist forces. The meeting grossly violated the norms governing ... international relations." Xinhua news agency also quoted spokesman Ma Zhaoxu, "The US act grossly violated the norms governing international relations. It also went against the repeated commitments by the US government that the US recognizes Tibet as part of China and gives no support to 'Tibet independence'". Zhu Weiqun, a senior Communist Party leader said, "The meeting between the Dalai Lama and Obama could seriously undermine the Sino-US political relations. We will take corresponding action to make relevant countries see their mistakes." China scholar David Shambaugh said, "The meeting is another event in the recent, one has to say, downward spiral in US-China relations. It's also troublesome for the Chinese for one other important reason. He could have met him as a spiritual leader in a neutral place like a church. But receiving him in the White House is a political act. And that is going to irritate China very much."
China is the fastest growing export market for the United States. In a poll conducted, almost 2 out of 3 Americans say that Tibet should be an independent country. In 1950, Chinese troops entered Tibet. In 1959, the Dalai Lama led a failed uprising against the Chinese rule, and then fled to India, where he has been ever since in exile. Interestingly, from 1991 onwards, the Dalai Lama has met each and every sitting president of the United States, with each meeting only agitating China more and more.
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