China summons US envoy over Dalai Lama award

Beijing, Oct 18: China has slammed the United States for awarding the Dalai Lama one of its highest honours and summoned the US ambassador in Beijing to complain.

''The move of the United States is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs, hurts the feelings of the Chinese people and has gravely undermined relations between China and the United States,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a news conference.

The Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since fleeing his predominantly Buddhist homeland in 1959 after a failed uprising against Communist rule, received the US Congressional Gold Medal yesterday. China considers him a separatist.

Reuters
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