White House Defends Bush Visit With Dalai Lama

Oct. 16, 2007 — -- President Bush welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House today, one day before attending an unprecedented congressional award ceremony for the exiled Tibetan leader that has set off an international imbroglio with China.

China protested the president's plan to attend a Capitol Hill ceremony in which the exiled Tibetan leader will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said today that the recognition amounted to "violent interference" in China's domestic affairs.

Chinese representatives canceled their scheduled attendance Wednesday at six-nation talks in Berlin aimed at persuading North Korea to end its nuclear program, apparently in protest.

White House officials say Bush personally notified Chinese leader Hu Jintao of the Dalai Lama's coming honor.

"We are extremely dissatisfied and firmly opposed," Yang told reporters at a Communist Party meeting in Beijing. "We have made strong representations to the United States, and once again urge it to correct its mistakes, cancel related arrangements and stop interfering in China's internal affairs in whatever form."

The Capitol Hill event marks an unprecedented event, with the president for the first time meeting publicly with the Tibetan leader and making remarks in his honor.

China considers the Dalai Lama, whose followers revere him as both a spiritual leader and as head of state, to be a separatist leader.

"We in no way want to stir the pot and make China feel that we are poking a stick in their eye," White House spokesman Dana Perino told reporters.

The White House meeting on Tuesday, by contrast, was the fourth between Bush and the Dalai Lama, who has met previously with former Presidents Carter, Bush and Clinton.

White House officials appeared keen to keep today's private meeting between Bush and the Dalai Lama low key.