Tibet leader to get top U.S. award

The Dalai Lama is set to receive a Congressional Gold Medal, the top U.S. civilian honour - a move which has infuriated China. George W Bush will attend today's ceremony in Washington, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to appear in public with the exiled Tibetan leader. Tibet leader to get top U.S. award Chinese state media warned it would "cast a shadow" over ties with the U.S.. Beijing has been accused of human rights abuses in Tibet, which its communist troops occupied in 1951. Mr Bush met the Dalai Lama behind-closed-doors on Tuesday in the White House residence, rather than the Oval Office, out of deference to China. It was their third private meeting in six years. 'Gross interference' But Wednesday's elaborate ceremony to honor the Nobel Peace Prize winner on Capitol Hill in Washington will be a much more public affair. Beijing described it as a "gross interference in China's internal affairs". "China is strongly resentful of this and resolutely opposes it," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao was quoted by the official Xinhua news agency as saying on Wednesday. An editorial in the official China Daily newspaper, titled "Wrong Move by the U.S.," said: "This event will certainly cast a shadow over the relations." A White House spokeswoman said on Tuesday Bush understood Beijing's concerns. But she added: "We would hope the Chinese leader would get to know the Dalai Lama as the president sees him - as a spiritual leader and someone who wants peace." Beijing has long argued the Dalai Lama is seeking to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for devoutly Buddhist Tibet. The 72-year-old insists he wants "real autonomy", not independence for the region, which Beijing claims is an "inalienable" part of China. Balancing act Analysts say it is a delicate diplomatic balancing act for Bush, who needs China's help to manage nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea. Meanwhile, China's Communist Party, which is holding its 17th Congress this week, is highly sensitive to potential embarrassment as it prepares to stage next year's Olympics. US lawmakers regularly accuse Beijing of turning a blind eye to alleged human rights abuses in Burma and Sudan in its pursuit of energy and business deals. Recently, world leaders have grown more vocal in their concern for human rights in Tibet. In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama, incurring Beijing's wrath. The historic Berlin meeting prompted China to withdraw from a German-Chinese symposium scheduled to be held in Munich and to cancel an annual event due to be held in Beijing in December to discuss human rights. The Dalai Lama has also met Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Australian Prime Minister John Howard this year, and is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper later this month. China was outraged when Canada granted the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship last year.

Tibet leader to get top U.S. award

Chinese state media warned it would "cast a shadow" over ties with the U.S..

Beijing has been accused of human rights abuses in Tibet, which its communist troops occupied in 1951.

Mr Bush met the Dalai Lama behind-closed-doors on Tuesday in the White House residence, rather than the Oval Office, out of deference to China. It was their third private meeting in six years.

'Gross interference'

But Wednesday's elaborate ceremony to honor the Nobel Peace Prize winner on Capitol Hill in Washington will be a much more public affair.

Beijing described it as a "gross interference in China's internal affairs".

"China is strongly resentful of this and resolutely opposes it," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao was quoted by the official Xinhua news agency as saying on Wednesday.

An editorial in the official China Daily newspaper, titled "Wrong Move by the U.S.," said: "This event will certainly cast a shadow over the relations."

A White House spokeswoman said on Tuesday Bush understood Beijing's concerns.

But she added: "We would hope the Chinese leader would get to know the Dalai Lama as the president sees him - as a spiritual leader and someone who wants peace."

Beijing has long argued the Dalai Lama is seeking to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for devoutly Buddhist Tibet.

The 72-year-old insists he wants "real autonomy", not independence for the region, which Beijing claims is an "inalienable" part of China.

Balancing act

Analysts say it is a delicate diplomatic balancing act for Bush, who needs China's help to manage nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea.

Meanwhile, China's Communist Party, which is holding its 17th Congress this week, is highly sensitive to potential embarrassment as it prepares to stage next year's Olympics.

US lawmakers regularly accuse Beijing of turning a blind eye to alleged human rights abuses in Burma and Sudan in its pursuit of energy and business deals.

Recently, world leaders have grown more vocal in their concern for human rights in Tibet.

In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama, incurring Beijing's wrath.

The historic Berlin meeting prompted China to withdraw from a German-Chinese symposium scheduled to be held in Munich and to cancel an annual event due to be held in Beijing in December to discuss human rights.

The Dalai Lama has also met Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Australian Prime Minister John Howard this year, and is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper later this month.

China was outraged when Canada granted the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship last year.