China has warned U.S. President Barack Obama not to meet with Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, saying such a meeting would harm bilateral relations.
Zhu Weiqun, the head of the department in charge of talks with the Dalai Lama, told a news conference Tuesday that if Mr. Obama meets with the Dalai Lama, it would threaten trust and cooperation between China and the United States.
The warning follows a meeting between China and envoys of the Dalai Lama last week. The meeting ended with no compromise from Beijing on Tibet's status.
Two envoys of the Dalai Lama are expected to brief him on their talks, from which they returned largely empty-handed.
The two envoys are to meet with reporters after speaking with the Dalai Lama Tuesday. On Monday, they were to brief the Tibetan prime minister-in-exile, Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche.
A spokesman for the Tibetan government-in-exile Monday said it is encouraged that contacts with the Chinese have resumed.
However, Chinese state media said Beijing officials told the envoys during talks last week there will be no compromise on China's sovereignty over Tibet. The official Xinhua news agency quoted Du Qinglin, head of a department in charge of the talks, that there is no room for discussion, and no concessions will be made on autonomy for Tibet.
Talks between the two sides 15 months ago also achieved virtually nothing.
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