» 07/18/2011 13:13 CHINA – UNITED STATES As Obama meets Dalai Lama, China attacks but remains concerned by default Even though the US president welcomed the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, the Chinese government fears a break a few days before deadline on US foreign debt. The fiery language is only for show.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The meeting between US President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama represents an interference in “China’s internal affairs” and could “damage Sino-American relations”. After two days, Communist China’s official media slammed the White House meeting, threatening retaliations. However, various US analysts believe nothing will happen. The moment is too delicate for the world economy, and China cannot afford any false move.
Washington must still find a solution to a possible government default on payments. Without an accord with the Republic opposition, the White House will not be able to pay interest on its foreign debt. And China is the largest holder of US securities with more than US$ 1.1 trillion.
Still, China’s has engaged in its usual propaganda to condemn the meeting. The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party, said that US politicians were deliberately "ignoring the facts" about the huge progress Tibet had made under party rule.
In addition to slamming the meeting, state TV showed Chinese Vice-President Xi, who is tipped to succeed President Hu Jintao next year, flying into Lhasa, welcomed by a festive crowd, a day before the Dalai Lama’s visit to Washington.
The usually fiery Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu tried to tone down the criticism. Still, "Such an act has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs,” he said, and has “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and damaged Sino-American relations,"
Hence, “We demand the US side seriously consider China's stance, immediately adopt measures to wipe out the baneful impact, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and cease to connive and support anti-China separatist forces that seek ‘Tibetan independence’, Ma explained.
Despite having given up all political functions, the Tibetan Nobel prize laureate remains a rabble-rouser for Beijing
Many US experts have downplayed the incident given the importance of the default problem. The Obama–Dalai Lama meeting comes nine days before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
"It's difficult to say at the moment whether this meeting will be affected," said Jin Canrong, an international affairs expert at China's Renmin University. But it is important for both sides given what is economically at stake.
"I doubt there will be any real, consequential fallout" from the latest meeting, said Randy Schriver, a former senior State Department official in charge of East Asian relations. "The Chinese very much need stable relations with the U.S. at this juncture,” he noted.
_0718_-_Meeting_Obama_Dalai_Lama.jpg)
