China Protests Dalai Lama's US Visit

China has lodged a formal protest against the U.S. following a meeting in New York between senior officials and the Dalai Lama, whom China considers a separatist leader. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated that China does not permit the Dalai Lama to engage in political activities and condemned any such interactions by foreign governments. The U.S. officials, including Undersecretary Uzra Zeya, reaffirmed their commitment to promoting Tibetan human rights during the meeting, which included discussions on preserving Tibetan culture and resuming dialogue with China. This incident follows China's previous opposition to a U.S. law aimed at urging Beijing to address Tibet's autonomy issues and its criticism of the appointment of a special coordinator for Tibetan affairs by the U.S., viewing it as interference in internal matters. The Dalai Lama, aged 89, was in New York for medical treatment, and China has stated that it will only engage in talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama, not the Tibetan government in exile.