China 'furious' at U.S. over Dalai Lama award
{{date|October 16, 2007}}
[[Image:Tenzin Gyatzo foto 2.jpg|thumb|350px|[[w:Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama]]]] 
The [[w:Chinese Communist Party|Chinese Communist Party]]'s 17th National Congress gave cause for party officials to condemn a planned awards ceremony for the [[Dalai Lama]], who is to receive the [[w:Congressional Gold Medal|Congressional Gold Medal]] on Wednesday.  President Bush receives him at the White House today.  "We are furious," [[Tibet]]'s Communist Party boss, [[w:Zhang Qingli|Zhang Qingli]], told reporters during the congress. "If the Dalai Lama can receive such an award, there must be no justice or good people in the world."  

In 1950, the [[w:People's Liberation Army|People's Liberation Army]] invaded Tibet and continues to occupy the territory.  In January 2007 the Dalai Lama, in an interview on a private television channel, said "What we demand from the [[China|Chinese]] authority is more autonomy for Tibetans to protect their culture."  He added that he had told the Tibetan people not to think in terms of history and to accept Tibet as a part of China.

"The presence of the [[United States|U.S.]] president at this congressional ceremony for the Dalai Lama greatly offends China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

China's foreign minister, [[w:Yang Jiechi|Yang Jiechi]], said Bush should not attend.  "We solemnly demand that the US cancel the extremely wrong arrangements," Mr Yang told reporters in Beijing.

Bush told [[w:Hu Jintao|Hu Jintao]], the Chinese president, that he planned to attend the ceremony when they met in [[Australia]] in August.  He made an overture to Jintao to assuage any perceived snub by saying he would attend the [[w:Beijing Olympics|Beijing Summer Olympics]] in 2008.

"We understand the concerns of the Chinese," White House deputy press secretary [[w:Tony Fratto|Tony Fratto]] said.  "This is a meeting with a spiritual leader. It is not a meeting with a head of state."

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2192474,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront
|title=Bush to defy Beijing over Dalai Lama award
|author=Suzanne Goldenberg
|pub=The Guardian
|date=October 16 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22591746-661,00.html
|title=Bush Hosts Dalai Lama Meeting Amid Protest by China
|author=Roger Runningen and Allen T. Cheng
|pub=Bloomberg News
|date=October 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/world/asia/17tibet.html?em&ex=1192680000&en=c29b39cecf180766&ei=5087%0A
|title=China Warns U.S. on Dalai Lama Trip
|author=Joseph Kahn
|pub=The New York Times
|date=October 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/24/stories/2007012407431500.htm
|title= Accept Tibet as part of China: Dalai Lama
|author=
|pub=The Hindu
|date=January 24, 2007}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:China]]
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama]]
[[Category:Tibet]]
[[Category:Buddhism]]

[[es:China 'furiosa' por premio estadounidense al Dalai Lama]]
[[it:La medaglia al Dalai Lama porterà crisi tra Cina e Stati Uniti]]
Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama 
The Chinese Communist Party's 17th National Congress gave cause for party officials to condemn a planned awards ceremony for the Dalai Lama, who is to receive the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday.  President Bush receives him at the White House today.  "We are furious," Tibet's Communist Party boss, Zhang Qingli, told reporters during the congress. "If the Dalai Lama can receive such an award, there must be no justice or good people in the world."  

In 1950, the People's Liberation Army invaded Tibet and continues to occupy the territory.  In January 2007 the Dalai Lama, in an interview on a private television channel, said "What we demand from the Chinese authority is more autonomy for Tibetans to protect their culture."  He added that he had told the Tibetan people not to think in terms of history and to accept Tibet as a part of China.

"The presence of the U.S. president at this congressional ceremony for the Dalai Lama greatly offends China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

China's foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, said Bush should not attend.  "We solemnly demand that the US cancel the extremely wrong arrangements," Mr Yang told reporters in Beijing.

Bush told Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, that he planned to attend the ceremony when they met in Australia in August.  He made an overture to Jintao to assuage any perceived snub by saying he would attend the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008.

"We understand the concerns of the Chinese," White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said.  "This is a meeting with a spiritual leader. It is not a meeting with a head of state."
Politics and conflicts China Asia Religion North America United States Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama Tibet Buddhism