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ShareNew Delhi: China's opposition to the Dalai Lama was expected. What was not was the fact that at Tuesday's regular news conference in Beijing, while foreign office spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu lashed out at the Tibetan spiritual leader, he did not include India in his criticism.
China has protested against India's decision to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as its own and it remains a 'disputed' area.Earlier attacks on the Tibetan leader were always followed bycriticism of the Indian leadership. It was perhaps a sign that at a recent meeting in Hua Hin between prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, the two decided to cool the rising
tension between the two Asiangiants.
Singh spent time explaining Wen India's position on the Dalai Lama, regarded here as a guest and a religious leader. The prime minister pointed out that ahead of the Beijing Olympics last year, New Delhi had acted firmly against Tibetan protesters.
Whatever the reason, India was insulated from Ma's attack on the Dalai Lama, though he noted that China's stance on the eastern section of the border was consistent and "we firmly oppose the Dalai Lama's visit to the region".
Ma said Wen and Singh recently agreed to push forward bilateral ties in a healthy and stable manner, which "is the consensus of the people of the two countries as well as the two leaders". He charged the Dalai Lama with trying to spoil relations between the two neighbours.
