French President Nicolas Sarkozy risks "hard-won" gains in ties with Beijing if he meets the Dalai Lama, a Chinese government spokesman warned today, raising tensions a day before the two powers attend the G20 financial summit.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said his government "resolutely opposes foreign leaders engaging in any form of contact" with Tibet's exiled Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, whom it calls a "splittist" for advocating self-determination for his homeland.
Mr Qin's warning was issued on the foreign ministry website a day after Mr Sarkozy said he would meet the Dalai Lama in Poland next month.
Mr Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the G20 summit on the global financial crisis in Washington tomorrow, and the French leader has looked to China to back his proposals to revamp global financial rules.
Mr Qin did not mention the summit, but suggested Mr Sarkozy's proposed meeting with the Dalai Lama could damage broader relations for both France and the European Union.
"At present, China-French and China-Europe relations have been improving and developing, and this hard-won situation should be further cherished," he said, adding Mr Sarkozy to "abide by ... promises and truly pay attention to China's major concerns."
The French president drew China's ire earlier in the year by suggesting that his attendance at the Beijing Olympic Games in August hinged on China's handling of Tibet, where violent unrest erupted in March.
Mr Sarkozy later attended the Games, but in the months before France and French companies were the target of protests by Chinese people, bitter at his stance and at protests over Tibet that dogged the Olympic torch relay through Paris.
Critics have accused Mr Sarkozy of caving in to pressure from China over the issue, and there were further question marks after an expected return trip by the Dalai Lama to France next month was cancelled.
Mr Sarkozy said yesterday the two men would finally meet in Poland next month, when celebrations will be held for the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize to former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.
Reuters