President Barack Obama met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the White House on Friday.
Though the president expressed his support for Tibet’s unique traditions, he reiterated his position that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China, according to a White House readout of the meeting.
The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and nonviolence and expressed support for the Dalai Lama’s "Middle Way" approach. The President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. In this context, the President reiterated the U.S. position that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China and that the United States does not support Tibet independence. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and constructive relationship between the United States and China.
China had warned Obama that meeting with the Dalai Lama would "seriously damage" ties between the United States and China, according to Reuters.