Seema Guha. New Delhi
China's opposition to the Dalai Lama was expected. What was not was the fact that at Tuesday's regular news conference in Beijing, while foreign office spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu lashed out at the Tibetan spiritual leader, he did not include India in his criticism.
China has protested against India's decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as its own and it remains a 'disputed' area. Earlier attacks on the Tibetan leader were always followed by criticism of the Indian leadership. It was perhaps a sign that at a recent meeting in Hua Hin between prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, the two decided to cool rising tension between the two Asian giants. Singh spent time in explaining to Wen India's position on the Dalai Lama, regarded here as a guest and a religious leader. The prime minister pointed out that ahead of the Beijing Olympics last year, New Delhi had acted firmly against Tibetan protesters.
Whatever the reason, India was insulated from Ma's attack on the Dalai Lama, though he noted that China's stance on the eastern section of the border was consistent and "we firmly oppose the Dalai Lama's visit to the region".
Ma said Wen and Singh recently agreed to push forward bilateral ties in a healthy and stable manner, which "is the consensus of the people of the two countries as well as the two leaders". He charged the Dalai Lama with trying to spoil relations between the two neighhbours.
"This further exposes the Dalai clique's anti-China and separatist nature," said Ma. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that he charged the Tibetan leader with lying "…and being engaged in damaging relations between China and other countries, but his attempt will not succeed."
"The Dalai Lama often lies and often engages in acts to sabotage China's relations with other countries," Ma said when asked about the trip to Arunachal beginning Sunday.
"I am confident that his scheme to wreck China's relations with the relevant country will come to nothing."
China claims about 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh along the border as part of 'southern' Tibet.