Lama Brushes Off Chinese Anger

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

WASHINGTON — The Dalai Lama, after meeting privately today with President Bush, brushed off China’s furious reaction to American celebrations this week in his honor.

“That always happens,” the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet’s Buddhists said with a laugh, speaking to reporters gathered outside his downtown Washington hotel.

The White House defended the meeting in the president’s residence and dismissed Beijing’s warning that the talks and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to him tomorrow would damage relations between America and China.

The Dalai Lama is hailed in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, but Beijing reviles the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and claims he seeks to destroy China’s sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet, where the Dalai Lama is considered a god-king.

When asked if he had a message for President Hu of China, the Dalai Lama playfully patted a reporter on the cheek and said, “You are not a representative of Hu Jintao.”

He said that during their meeting, he explained to Mr. Bush what was happening in Tibet and said he thanked the president for “showing his concern about Tibet.”

“We know each other, and we have developed, I think, a very close friendship — something like a reunion of one family,” the Dalai Lama said, speaking of Mr. Bush.

The Dalai Lama says he wants “real autonomy,” not independence, for Tibet. But China demonizes the spiritual leader and believes America is honoring a separatist.

Mr. Bush and American lawmakers tomorrow will present the Dalai Lama, who has lived with followers in exile in India since they fled Chinese soldiers in Tibet in 1959, with the prestigious congressional honor.

China has reacted with anger.

“We solemnly demand that the U.S. cancel the extremely wrong arrangements,” Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said. “It seriously violates the norm of international relations and seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people and interfered with China’s internal affairs.”

A presidential spokesman, Tony Fratto, said: “We understand the concerns of the Chinese.” But he also said Bush always has attended congressional award presentation ceremonies, has met with the Dalai Lama several times before and had no reason not to meet with him again.

No media access was allowed to Mr. Bush’s meeting with the Dalai Lama in the private residence section of the White House. In an exception to normal practice, the Bush administration did not release any pictures of the meeting. Nor did it put out a formal statement on it.

“We in no way want to stir the pot and make China feel that we are poking a stick in their eye for a country that we have a lot of relationships with on a variety of issues,” a press secretary, Dana Perino, said. “And this might be one thing that we can do. But I don’t believe that that’s going to soothe the concerns in China.”


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use