China objects to Harper meeting with Dalai Lama

The Globe and Mail reported Tuesday that Harper plans to meet the Buddhist leader and Tibetan exile at a government site, a move that would go further than a non-political meeting held by former prime minister Paul Martin with the Dalai Lama in 2004.

The Chinese government has already warned foreign officials that they are weary of meetings with the exiled leader at certain government venues. In a statement sent to The Globe, a Chinese official 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."

The Chinese -- who have run a behind-the-scenes campaign to prevent a formal meeting between the Tibetan leader and the prime minister -- claim that the Dalai Lama is not a mere religious figure. Instead, they argue that he is a political figure who aims to split their country apart. The Dalai Lama, who was forced out of Tibet in 1959, runs a government-in-exile from India.

The Harper government has had a tense relationship with China during its tenure primarily due to the Conservative government's concerns about that country's human rights record. Leaders of Tibet's independence movement in Canada say they hope that the expected meeting between Harper and the Dalai Lama will address the need for serious negotiations about Tibet's relationship with China.

Communists asserted control over Tibet, which is located between India and China in the Himalayan Mountains, in 1950. An independence movement run from within and outside of the country has existed ever since.

In 2004, Martin became the first Canadian leader to meet with the Dalai Lama. He held a 15-minute meeting with the leader at the residence of Ottawa's Roman Catholic archbishop, but Harper's meeting is expected to be held at a government site.

The Chinese also voiced their concerns last year when the Dalai Lama met with Jason Kenney, the current Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity Minister. The Dalai Lama was also given honourary Canadian citizenship at that time.

Fearing increased international support for the Dalai Lama, the Chinese protest any meetings he holds with world leaders. They have also raised objections to a meeting that the Nobel Prize winner is expected to hold with German Chancellor Angela Merkel this weekend. The Chinese were also quick to protest when U.S. President George Bush met with the Tibetan leader at the White House in 2003.

Comments are now closed for this story

JILL
said

This is GREAT news.A PM from Canada that doesn't have to be at the beck and call of China.WOW!
I adore the Dalai lama, he's wise and so humble.

Kudo's to PM Harper.I am delighted.

Jason
said

People applaud Harper meeting the Dalai Lama??? Oh is this way to stand up to China?? It is a meaningless gesture that will only upset the Chinese and in the end, Harper will be successful in alienating a main trading partner. How about meeting with the natives in Canada?? How about forming a coherent foreign policy that will help Canadian business? So go ahead, applaud Mr. Harper meeting him, but it just hurts big business and in the end, jobs in Canada. There are other ways to deal with China then through a meaningless meeting.

Devon K.
said

To be perfectly honest comparing the situation of natives in this country to that of Tibet is ludicrous. Natives in Canada enjoy all the rights every other Canadian citizen enjoys plus all the opportunities. How they use those rights and opportunities is up to them!

The situation in Tibet is fundamentally different. In Tibet they are ruled by a government that suppresses any free speech, assembly, or organization. Their leaders who aren't in exile or jailed are dead.

Frankly I'm insulted that people are bringing up natives as a club to beat Harper up with when he's going to meet with the Dalai Lama.

Cameron
said

To all of you people comparing China's human rights to that of our native people you need to get a clue. Native people have more rights in this country then I do, they simply chose not to use them and ask for more goverment handout wich would only further the problem.

Jason
said

Mr. Harper, the same people who are criticizing you for meeting with the Dalai Lama would also be criticizing you if you didn't meet with him. They are the "never happy" group of individuals who live in this country. There is no pleasing them. They will throw out terms like Neo-con and extreme right yet if you ask them for examples they stammer and look embarrassed because they have nothing to back their claims up with.

Micheal
said

Go, Harper, go! Chinese goverment could do nothing but objection. We have vast, unending resources, we don't need China, eventhough it is becoming the scond economic power in the world, we will never ever bend to almighty dollars. Politician is running after politics, not dollars. I hope that will soon ban import from China, we don't send our precious dollars to a communist goverment to support them abuse human right.

Alan
said

I think it's good for the Prime Minister to meet the Dalai Lama at a more official setting. However, he might be wise to tone down the rhetoric or else he would anger the Chinese, who can retaliate in ways that are more harmful than dropping a nuke, such as economic boycotts.

Also, I think's it's important for the Dalai Lama to firmly address his position regarding Tibet and China's future. Is he opting for complete independence still or perhaps there is a more compromising way that both can coexist.

Ron
said

In the end, it makes no real difference if he does or does not meet with the Dalai Lama if Canada is unwilling to take further steps in regards to Tibet. And I doubt the Prime Minister will have the will to do so.

JF
said

This is really an issue of the almighty dollar against morality and principle... China vs. human rights. Fact is that this meeting is more about a photo shoot opportunity for Harper to gain some morality votes of Canadians. Fact is that in a capitalistic society the buck tends to win out in the end. Tibet will remain an occupied country and China will continue to sell us their stuff.

Hugh
said

What are the Chinese really going to do about it? Stop sending their dollar store items to Wal-Mart?

Norman Atkins
said

Bravo, Mr. Harper. The time has come for Canada to kick this oppressive Chinese regime to the curb and stop importing substandard (and dangerous) goods from this backward Nation.

george
said

Steve, this is not about aboriginal rights it about the extinction of a whole race of people. China has no right to try and eliminate the peaceful culture of Tibet. It's about time that we where to get involved. China has really nothing to offer. Cheap products, no rights for there people, child labour. China only feels threatened because they were wrong in what they did. If they were right there would be no problems. The loss of this culture is a loss to all humanity.

beccalynn
said

Congrats to PM Harper for doing the right thing. And no offense, but can we just give the whole "poor Aboriginal people" thing a rest for awhile & let an issue NOT about them stay that way??

RPB
said

We should all be growing tired of the political, economic, and social influences of China. Their leaders are proving more each day how corrupt, uncivil, and inhumane they really are, and we should stop quaking over how they will react when someone shows the courage to oppose, confront, or ignore them. Show them who's running Canada, Steve! Oh, and it's high time that our corporate gurus stop worshipping the almighty dollar and started having our worldly goods produced where the respect and welfare of consumers are observed.

Monka
said

We should take care of our own business first.
Do we have human rights for our native people?
Are we looking after our native land. What are the future of the young native.
Our native chief should go out to the world to expose how they are treated.

Darryl
said

I can't imagine a prominent Canadian politician meeting openly with an individual whose stated goal is to divide a sovereign nation! Political leaders who try to secede from their own countries are lower than low, they're utterly without honour or...hey, wait a minute...

Are they talking about the Dalai Lama or Gilles Duceppe?

Thomas Chan
said

Hey! That's familiar! I have seen this move before, from Harper's buddy Bush. Absolutely nothing new but to gain political chips towards talks over issues of China and Canada.

Claire Roger
said

Congratulations to Mr. Harper! As a former "liberal- voter" I continue to admire the Prime Minister's stand for human rights and basic humane principals. Go for it, Stephen !!!

s
said

It's about time we had a courageous Prime Minister like Harper. Chretien coddled dictators. The invaders of Tibet and the threateners of Taiwan must be told in no uncertain terms that their behaviour is unacceptable to us in the West. Perhaps they will also stop killing their prisoners and selling their organs to the highest bidders.

Canadian
said

Another embarassment from Harper who continues to advocate violating the human rights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada by their sickening policies, yet preaching to other nations about their record.

Canadian politics is so sad these days, where are the leaders? Where are the leaders that have Canada's interests at heart?

I am so tired of the lies spewing from this government on a daily basis. Yet, there is no real alternative to this disasterous regime that continues to support the US War of Terror.

Ian - Milton
said

I agree with ED - however the Communists have only been leading China since post WWII - that makes it about 60 years even though Mao and his cronies were active well before the war. Even a well-known Canadian - Dr. Bethune of Bracebridge was a sympathizer and worked in China alongside Mao - check your history books.

I have no real use for a society like China's and I avoid wherever possible purchasing anything made in China - but that is getting more difficult nowadays.

Marco
said

Go for it, Harper.

China is occupying Tibet as much as Germany has been occupying Poland.

If Germany was still occupying Poland, I would have hoped that Harper would meet with Polish leaders as well.

To all Canadian sports people ... you should be ashamed of yourselves if you go to the Olympic games in Peking !

steve
said

Maybe if Harper would address our aboriginal issues in Canada, we would look much better on a world stage when talking about human rights.

Ed
said

About time! We must send a clear message to the Chinese. They are not our allies. At best, they're archaic Maoists who we purchase sub-standard cheap products from. 90 years of communist terror has wiped out any resemblance to their once great ancient culture. I'll take his holiness over dollar store trinkets anyday.
Good on ya Steve!

Pick your location

Top Stories -

News Sections

News Programs

Features

Browse: