BEIJING – China reiterated its strong opposition to any country allowing the Dalai Lama to visit under any pretext, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on August 22.
This statement followed a meeting between senior US State Department and White House officials and the Dalai Lama in New York on August 21. The US officials reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the human rights of Tibetans, according to the State Department.
The Dalai Lama, the 89-year-old exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is regarded by China as a dangerous separatist. Beijing firmly opposes any engagement between foreign officials and the Dalai Lama, considering such interactions as undermining its sovereignty over Tibet.
“China has made solemn protests with the US,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a press briefing. “We don’t allow the Dalai Lama to engage in political separatist activities in the US.”
Last month, China also voiced its disapproval of a US law signed by President Joe Biden, which urges Beijing to resolve Tibet’s demands for greater autonomy. China views this law, and the appointment of a US special coordinator for Tibetan issues, as interference in its internal affairs and has vowed to “firmly defend” its interests.