2/12/2010
(AP) — Washington - The White House on Friday rejected demands by China that a planned meeting next week between US President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama be cancelled.
"I do not know if their specific reaction was to cancel it," spokesman Robert Gibbs said. "If that was their specific reaction, the meeting will take place as planned next Thursday."
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said earlier Friday that Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama could damage bilateral ties.
"China firmly opposes the Dalai Lama visiting the United States and US leaders' contact with him," Ma said. "We urge the US side to fully understand the high sensitivity of Tibet-related issues, honour its commitment to recognizing Tibet as part of China and opposing 'Tibet independence'."
Obama had already postponed a meeting with the Dalai Lama last autumn to avoid upsetting China before the US president's first visit to Beijing in November. Gibbs said China had been informed before plans for the latest meeting were announced on Thursday.
US-Chinese relations have hit a low in recent weeks over financial and economic differences and US plans to sell weapons to Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a rogue province.
