China "furious" and "strongly resentful" over bush meeting with Dalai Lama.
Why are the republicans trying to piss off China now? We need China to help resolve the crisis with Iran. Why did bush have to meet with the Dalai Lama now? He could have met with him once the Iranian situation is resolved.
I'm very upset that China is upset. And the fact that China is actually "furious" terrifies me. I am practically pissing my pants with fear. We should do what China tells us to do!
Bush urges China to meet with Dalai Lama
America honors Tibetan spiritual leader with Congressional Gold Medal
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:35 p.m. ET Oct 17, 2007
WASHINGTON - President Bush, raising the ire of Beijing, on Wednesday called on Chinese leaders to welcome the Dalai Lama to the communist nation. The president called him a “universal symbol of peace and tolerance, a shepherd of the faithful and a keeper of the flame for his people.”
“He has won the respect and affection of the American people,” Bush said at the U.S. Capitol where the spiritual head of Tibet’s Buddhists received the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal.
“America cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close their eyes or turn away,” said Bush, who personally handed the medal to the Dalai Lama.
"It is a great honor for me to receive the Congressional Gold Medal," said the Dalai Lama. "This recognition will bring tremendous joy and encouragement to the Tibetan people."
China, which reviles the 72-year-old monk as a Tibetan separatist, vehemently protested the elaborate public ceremony. But at a news conference earlier in the day, Bush said that he did not think his attendance at the ceremony would damage U.S. relations with China.
“I support religious freedom; he supports religious freedom. ... I want to honor this man,” Bush told reporters at the White House. “I have consistently told the Chinese that religious freedom is in their nation’s interest. I’ve also told them that it’s in their interest to meet with the Dalai Lama and will say so at the ceremony.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this was the first time a U.S. president has appeared in public with the Dalai Lama. The Bush administration took pains on Tuesday to keep a private meeting with the president and the Dalai Lama from further infuriating China: no media access, not even a handout photo.
There was little subtlety on Wednesday, however, when Bush and America's most powerful lawmakers hosted the elaborate public ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda to present Congress' highest civilian award.
It is a delicate bit of diplomatic balancing. Bush wants to ease anger in China, a growing economic and military powerhouse that the United States needs to manage nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea. He also wants to be seen as a champion of religious freedom and human rights.
The Dalai Lama, for his part, seemed unconcerned about China's furious reaction to his half-hour meeting Tuesday with Bush in the White House and the presentation Wednesday.
"That always happens," he said with a laugh, speaking to reporters gathered outside his hotel.
China's warnings dismissed
The White House played down the meeting with Bush in the presidential residence section of the White House and dismissed China's warning that this week's events would damage relations between Washington and Beijing.
The Dalai Lama is lauded in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, but Beijing demonizes the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and claims he seeks to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet.
The Dalai Lama says he wants "real autonomy" for Tibet, not independence. He is immensely popular in the Himalayan region, which China has ruled with a heavy hand since its communist-led forces invaded in 1951. He has lived with followers in exile in India since fleeing Chinese soldiers in Tibet in 1959.
China has demanded that the United States cancel this week's celebrations. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Beijing said the events "seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people and interfered with China's internal affairs."
"China is strongly resentful of and resolutely opposes this and has made solemn representation to the U.S. side," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a comment carried Wednesday by the official Xinhua News Agency.
"We seriously urged the U.S. side to correct such wrong doing and stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any forms," Liu said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21320198/
Why are the republicans trying to piss off China now? We need China to help resolve the crisis with Iran. Why did bush have to meet with the Dalai Lama now? He could have met with him once the Iranian situation is resolved.
I'm very upset that China is upset. And the fact that China is actually "furious" terrifies me. I am practically pissing my pants with fear. We should do what China tells us to do!
Bush urges China to meet with Dalai Lama
America honors Tibetan spiritual leader with Congressional Gold Medal
The Associated Press
Updated: 2:35 p.m. ET Oct 17, 2007
WASHINGTON - President Bush, raising the ire of Beijing, on Wednesday called on Chinese leaders to welcome the Dalai Lama to the communist nation. The president called him a “universal symbol of peace and tolerance, a shepherd of the faithful and a keeper of the flame for his people.”
“He has won the respect and affection of the American people,” Bush said at the U.S. Capitol where the spiritual head of Tibet’s Buddhists received the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal.
“America cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close their eyes or turn away,” said Bush, who personally handed the medal to the Dalai Lama.
"It is a great honor for me to receive the Congressional Gold Medal," said the Dalai Lama. "This recognition will bring tremendous joy and encouragement to the Tibetan people."
China, which reviles the 72-year-old monk as a Tibetan separatist, vehemently protested the elaborate public ceremony. But at a news conference earlier in the day, Bush said that he did not think his attendance at the ceremony would damage U.S. relations with China.
“I support religious freedom; he supports religious freedom. ... I want to honor this man,” Bush told reporters at the White House. “I have consistently told the Chinese that religious freedom is in their nation’s interest. I’ve also told them that it’s in their interest to meet with the Dalai Lama and will say so at the ceremony.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this was the first time a U.S. president has appeared in public with the Dalai Lama. The Bush administration took pains on Tuesday to keep a private meeting with the president and the Dalai Lama from further infuriating China: no media access, not even a handout photo.
There was little subtlety on Wednesday, however, when Bush and America's most powerful lawmakers hosted the elaborate public ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda to present Congress' highest civilian award.
It is a delicate bit of diplomatic balancing. Bush wants to ease anger in China, a growing economic and military powerhouse that the United States needs to manage nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea. He also wants to be seen as a champion of religious freedom and human rights.
The Dalai Lama, for his part, seemed unconcerned about China's furious reaction to his half-hour meeting Tuesday with Bush in the White House and the presentation Wednesday.
"That always happens," he said with a laugh, speaking to reporters gathered outside his hotel.
China's warnings dismissed
The White House played down the meeting with Bush in the presidential residence section of the White House and dismissed China's warning that this week's events would damage relations between Washington and Beijing.
The Dalai Lama is lauded in much of the world as a figure of moral authority, but Beijing demonizes the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and claims he seeks to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet.
The Dalai Lama says he wants "real autonomy" for Tibet, not independence. He is immensely popular in the Himalayan region, which China has ruled with a heavy hand since its communist-led forces invaded in 1951. He has lived with followers in exile in India since fleeing Chinese soldiers in Tibet in 1959.
China has demanded that the United States cancel this week's celebrations. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Beijing said the events "seriously wounded the feelings of the Chinese people and interfered with China's internal affairs."
"China is strongly resentful of and resolutely opposes this and has made solemn representation to the U.S. side," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a comment carried Wednesday by the official Xinhua News Agency.
"We seriously urged the U.S. side to correct such wrong doing and stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any forms," Liu said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21320198/
