BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday expressed resolute opposition
to the meeting between the Dalai Lama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in
Poland planned for next month.
Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU's six-month-rotating presidency, will
meet the Dalai Lama on Dec. 6 while attending activities to celebrate the 25th
anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to former Polish President
Lech Walesa.
"We oppose firmly the Dalai Lama's secessionist activities in any country
under any identity, and we are also firmly against any foreign leader's contacts
with the Dalai Lama in any form," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang in a
press release.
Qin said the Sino-French and Sino-European ties were maintaining a momentum
of improvement and development. The hard-earned relations should be cherished
with doubled effort.
The spokesman urged the French side to adhere to the one-China policy,
honor its commitment, pay attention to China's great concern and prudently
handle Tibet-related issues with an eye to the overall situation, so as to
promote the healthy and stable development of Sino-French and Sino-European
ties.
Sarkozy's Poland visit was aimed to bridge disputes between European Union
countries over how to fight global warming.