NEW DELHI, JUL 7 : China on Monday lodged a protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama and the participation of Indian ministers at his 90th birthday celebrations, asking New Delhi to respect Beijing\u2019s sensitivities on Tibet-related matters, reported PTI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The position of the Chinese government on Tibet-related issues is consistent and clear,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a media briefing in Beijing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to questions about Prime Minister Modi\u2019s greetings and the presence of Indian officials, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, at the birthday event, Mao said, “As is widely known, the 14th Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long engaged in anti-China separatist activities and seeks to separate Xizang from China under the cloak of religion.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beijing refers to Tibet as “Xizang”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIndia needs to be fully cognizant of the sensitivity of issues related to Xizang, see clearly the anti-China and separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama, honour the commitments India has made to China on issues related to Xizang, act prudently, and stop using those issues to interfere in China\u2019s internal affairs. China has protested to India regarding its actions,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi had extended warm wishes to the Dalai Lama on his birthday. \u201cHis message has inspired respect and admiration across all faiths. We pray for his continued good health and long life,\u201d Modi posted on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several Indian leaders, including Union ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, and Sikkim minister Sonam Lama, also attended the celebrations in Dharamshala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China had earlier raised objections to Rijiju\u2019s statement last week that the process of the Dalai Lama\u2019s reincarnation should be guided by the Tibetan spiritual leader\u2019s own wishes. Beijing urged India to act cautiously on Tibet-related issues to prevent potential setbacks in bilateral relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mao reiterated that India should clearly recognise what China views as the separatist character of the Dalai Lama and respect the understandings between the two countries regarding Tibet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, the Dalai Lama reaffirmed that the institution of the Dalai Lama would continue and asserted that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust holds the authority to recognise his reincarnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China maintains that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must strictly follow religious rituals, historical conventions, and Chinese regulations, including the use of the centuries-old practice of drawing lots from a ‘golden urn’ and approval by the central government. Mao said the current 14th Dalai Lama was recognised through this procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beijing insists that future reincarnations must comply with these protocols, which it considers essential to safeguarding its sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-PTI<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NEW DELHI, JUL 7 : China on Monday lodged a protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama and the participation of Indian ministers<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139211,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[27301,63,13980],"class_list":["post-139210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news","tag-dalai-lama","tag-new-delhi","tag-prime-minister-naredra-modi"],"yoast_head":"\n