Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Friday summoned US charge d’affaires Daniel Kritenbrink to protest President Barack Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama, state media reported.
“China expresses strong indignation and firm opposition,” Zhang said, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Zhang said Obama’s White House meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader earlier in the day, amounted to interference in China’s internal affairs.
“The Tibetan issue is the domestic affair of China and the United States bears no right to interfere,” Zhang said.
Beijing considers Tibet an integral part of its territory and regards the Dalai Lama as a separatist.
“Such a move will gravely sabotage China-US cooperation and relations, and will definitely undermine its own interests,” Zhang said.