BEIJING, Sept 21 – China on Tuesday criticised a scheduled visit by the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to Mexico next month, urging the international community not to honour the “splittist.”
“He is not simply an ordinary religious figure, he is an exiled person who is carrying out splittist activities to divide the nation,” foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said at a press briefing.
“We hope countries in the world can respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and would not provide a platform for his activities,” Kong said.
The 68-year-old Dalai Lama, Tibet’s most revered spiritual figure and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is scheduled to visit Mexico between October 3-8 after visits to Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala.
He plans to take part in a series of debates and meetings with international religious and academic personalities there, and may meet with Mexican President Vicente Fox.
India has hosted the Dalai Lama since he fled Tibet in 1959 amid a failed uprising against Chinese rule. In recent years has been trying to engage Beijing in negotiations over a potential return.
He has agreed to end activities aimed at establishing Tibet’s independence, but has requested Beijing allow greater autonomy to the Himalayan region especially in efforts to preserve Tibet’s unique culture and religion.
