China's foreign minister, speaking ahead of two sensitive anniversaries next week, warned other countries on Saturday not to let the Dalai Lama use their territory to try to sever Tibet from Chinese control.
Beijing abruptly cancelled a China-EU summit last year, angry over French President Nicolas Sarkozy's meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader whom Beijing condemns as a separatist.
“In developing relations with China, other countries should not allow the Dalai Lama to visit their countries and should not allow their territories to be used for the Dalai Lama to engage in separatist activities for Tibet's independence,” Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said.
“I think this is an integral part of the norms governing international relations," he told a news conference on the sidelines of the annual meeting of parliament.
The 50th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning monk's flight into exile falls on Tuesday. Also, on March 14 last year, Lhasa erupted into riots that killed 19 mostly Han Chinese or Hui Muslim shopkeepers.
“The Dalai Lama's side still insists on establishing a so-called Greater Tibet on a quarter of Chinese territory. They want to drive away Chinese armed forces on Chinese territory and ask all non-Tibetans to relocate themselves, people who have long spent their lives on that part of Chinese territory. You call this person a religious figure?" Yang said.
{{/usCountry}}“The Dalai Lama's side still insists on establishing a so-called Greater Tibet on a quarter of Chinese territory. They want to drive away Chinese armed forces on Chinese territory and ask all non-Tibetans to relocate themselves, people who have long spent their lives on that part of Chinese territory. You call this person a religious figure?" Yang said.
{{/usCountry}}“Would Germany, France or other countries accept that a quarter of their territory be separated? Please keep in mind that China was always a supporter of German reunification.”