Beijing, February 16 – China Thursday accused Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of promoting Tibetan independence during his tour of Israel, saying he was engaged in “splittist” activities.
“It’s very clear to us what kind of person he is, what the purposes of his international activities are,” foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference.
“He carries out his activities during his tours everywhere, with an aim to promote the internationalisation of the so-called ‘Tibet issue’ so as to achieve his purpose of splitting the motherland,” Qin said.
On a five-day trip to Israel this week the Dalai Lama offered to hold talks with Hamas, which is blacklisted by the West as a terrorist organisation.
The Tibetan spiritual leader told journalists Wednesday he wanted to share with Hamas his belief that dialogue rather than violence was the best means to achieve one’s aims.
“My appeal to Hamas is that through violent ways you won’t achieve what you want. Through dialogue you will receive what you want. I want to share this belief with them,” he said.
Hamas, which is committed to the destruction of Israel, won Palestinian legislative elections on January 25.
The Dalai Lama’s comments came as his envoys arrived in China for the fifth round of closed-door talks since 2002 on what his government-in-exile hopes will lead to more autonomy for Tibet.
Tibet has been ruled by China since its troops “liberated” the region in 1950. The Dalai Lama fled into exile in India in 1959 and direct ties between him and Beijing collapsed in 1993.
The Dalai Lama, who was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for his dedication to Tibet’s non-violent liberation, is branded by China as a separatist because of his earlier calls for independence.
He has since given up demands for independence and now instead talks of a “meaningful autonomy” to preserve Tibet’s culture, language and environment.
