Sunday, July 17, 2011

Beijing fury as Obama meets the Dalai Lama

Source Credit: Belfast Telegraph

China has condemned Barack Obama for "gross interference" in its affairs after 
the US President met the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, at 
the White House for the second time in his presidency.
The unusually strong reaction from Beijing threatened to cool relations, just as 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flies to the Far East to discuss regional 
security, and as the US struggles to deal with debt substantially funded by 
China.

Mr Obama's 44-minute meeting with the Dalai Lama included discussion of 
human rights in Tibet. The Dalai Lama was in Washington for an 11-day 
Buddhist festival. The Communist regime in Beijing had already been angered 
by his meetings with other senior US political figures.

"Such an act has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, hurt the feelings 
of the Chinese people and damaged Sino-American relations," the Chinese 
foreign ministry said.


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