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China urges US to respect its stance on Tibet

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-12 20:28

BEIJING: China on Thursday urged the United States to respect its core interests concerning Tibet.

"China is firmly opposed to the Dalai Lama's acts in international arena and opposed to any contact between the Dalai Lama and leading officials of foreign governments in whatever name or capacity," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular briefing.

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"Our position is consistent and clear," Qin said when asked to comment on a possible meeting between the Dalai Lama and US President Barack Obama.

Qin characterized the Dalai Lama as "the ringleader of feudal serf system," saying his acts separated the motherland and breached the country's unity and territorial integrity.

Under the Dalai Lama's rule, Tibet had practised the feudal serf system before the Chinese government dissolved the aristocratic local government of Tibet and freed more than 1 million serfs in 1959.

"The abolishment of the serf system in Tibet is as significant as the end of the slavery in the United States," Qin said.

As President Obama said he was appreciative to President Abraham Lincoln, who presided over the Civil War and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Qin said he believed Obama could understand China's stance of opposing Tibet independence and the Dalai Lama's attempts to split the country.

Qin said the US government should listen to the voice of Chinese public.

"More than 90 percent Chinese interviewees opposed Obama's meeting with Dalai," the spokesman said, citing a poll by a Chinese website.

"We call for the United States to respect China's territorial integrity and national unity, which is our core interests and major concern," Qin said.

Qin's comments came days ahead of Obama's first state visit to China from November 15 to 18, which included stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

"Apart from political meetings, Obama will have opportunities to interact with Chinese public during his stay in Shanghai, which are being finalized," Qin said.