China Whining about Dalai Lama visits to Germany and soon Canada

[Flabbergasted]

I personally hope to see a free Tibet once again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,,2175676,00.html

Merkel angers China over Tibet


Kate Connolly in Berlin
Monday September 24, 2007
The Guardian


Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. Photograph: Michael Hanschke.

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, went ahead with an informal meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama yesterday, despite China cancelling a meeting between a German minister and Chinese officials in an apparent expression of disapproval.
China had issued a warning to Berlin this week saying that if the meeting at Ms Merkel's chancellery went ahead it was in danger of damaging relations between the two countries, saying the Dalai Lama was using it to further his political ambitions.

Ms Merkel ignored her advisers who told her to cancel the meeting rather than incur the wrath of Beijing, which could damage the two countries' thriving business relationship.

Yesterday China cancelled a meeting in Munich planned between the justice minister, Brigitte Zypries, and Beijing officials to discuss legal affairs. While the Chinese government said "technical reasons" were to blame, the move was widely interpreted as a sign of tension over Ms Merkel's decision.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=5115f8e4-b707-4322-9cc1-aa511e60ebfb

Harper wrong to roll out carpet for Dalai Lama
HARRY STERLING, Freelance
Published: 14 hours ago

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's insistence on personally meeting the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, only reinforces the view his ideological biases can undermine important Canadian interests.

Harper has decided to meet the Dalai Lama in his official capacity as prime minister at a "government site" when the latter visits Canada next month.

The encounter would be only the second time a Canadian prime minister had met with the Dalai Lama. Paul Martin met with the Tibetan spiritual leader for a few brief moments in 2004 at the residence of the Roman Catholic archbishop in Ottawa. That encounter provoked a strong outcry from the Chinese, causing some Canadian businessmen to warn such meetings could harm Canadian trade with China, now our fourth-largest export market.

Not surprisingly, Chinese authorities have made it clear they totally oppose Harper's proposed meeting with the Dalai Lama.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa said, "We are against the provision of venues by foreign countries to the Dalai Lama's secessionist activities and also against foreign dignitaries meeting with him."