China voices opposition to Dalai Lama’s participation in Geneva event

The Chinese government on Saturday voiced its opposition to the Dalai Lama’s participation in an event with other Nobel Peace Prize winners, held in Geneva on Friday at the sidelines of a United Nations Human Rights Council session.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei expressed Beijing’s “strong dissatisfaction” with the Dalai Lama’s invitation to the conference, which was chaired by the U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore, according to the stateowned Xinhua news agency.

Hong criticized the United States, which cosponsored the conference with Canada, for insisting on inviting the Dalai Lama despite Chinese opposition, and accused the U.N. of violating its own resolution and allowing the deputy high commissioner to chair the activity.

The spokesperson also said the Dalai Lama, who is accused by China of separatism, is not entitled to talk about human rights.

He stressed that China is against the Tibetan leader’s visit to any country and also against foreign officials maintaining any contact with him.

Moreover, Hong urged the relevant countries to stop interfering with China’s domestic affairs and maintain healthy bilateral relations with the economic powerhouse.

At the Geneva conference, the Dalai Lama, who has lived out his exile in India since 1959, denounced the continuous violation of human rights in Tibet, and said there is still time for humanity to put an end to wars before the end of the century if actions for peace are initiated.