Defying China, Obama to meet Dalai Lama

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by Shaun Tandon – Wed Feb 3, 6:36 am ET
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WASHINGTON (AFP) – The White House is standing firm on President Barack Obama’s plans to meet with the Dalai Lama, firmly rejecting Chinese pressure to snub him as rows escalate between Washington and Beijing.
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The Chinese government reacted Wednesday, saying it “resolutely opposes” the Dalai Lama’s visit to the United States and any of his meetings with US leaders.
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“We urge the US side to clearly recognize the high sensitivity of the Tibet issue and handle related issues carefully and appropriately to avoid causing more harm to Sino-US ties,” foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement.
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Days after defying Beijing with a 6.4-billion-dollar weapons package for Taiwan, the White House insisted Tuesday that China address human rights concerns in Tibet.
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“The president told China leaders during his trip last year that he would meet with the Dalai Lama, and he intends to do so,” White House spokesman Bill Burton told reporters.
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“The Dalai Lama is an internationally respected religious and cultural leader, and the president will meet with him in that capacity.”
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The spiritual leader is due in the United States for a 10-day trip later this month, his secretary said, and will be in Washington February 17-19 before speaking and teaching engagements in Los Angeles and Florida. He will return to India from New York on February 25.
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Burton said Obama remained committed to “building a positive, comprehensive and cooperative relationship with China.” The president has sought wide-ranging ties with the rising Asian power on issues from the global economy to North Korea.
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In October, Obama avoided meeting the Dalai Lama when he visited Washington. The move was controversial at home, but the White House said Obama did not want to sour ties with Beijing before his maiden visit a month later.