(TibetanReview.net, Feb08, 2015) – China indicated acknowledgement that US President Barack Obama did not cross its red line against meeting with Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, but still condemned both after they attended the congressionally organized Feb 5 annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. Calling the Dalai Lama a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the guise of religion, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei told a regular press conference on Feb 6, “We are opposed to any foreign country’s permission for the Dalai Lama’s visit, and are against any country’s interference in China’s domestic affairs in the name of Tibet-related issues.”
“The Dalai Lama’s attempt to achieve his political purposes by seeking foreign support is doomed to fail,” said Hong whose remark was posted on the ministry website Feb 6.
China’s official Xinhua news agency Feb 6 cited reports as saying President Obama welcomed the Dalai Lama at a “prayer breakfast” in Washington on Feb 5, but did not meet him directly. The scripted question seeking Hong’s comment also began by saying President Obama did not meet with the Dalai Lama but expressed his welcome in his address.
However, the official chinadaily.com.cn report Feb 6 quoted an English-language Xinhua commentary shortly before the “prayer breakfast” as saying, “Chumming with a secessionist is playing with fire, which severely harms the mutual trust between China and the United States, and downgrades Obama’s credit as a national leader for breaking his commitments to China on the Tibet issue.”