China Overpoliticising My Visits, Says Dalai Lama
Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has said that China was overpoliticising his journeys and claimed that decisions he took on where to go are spiritual in nature, not political.
During a visit to Tokyo, the Dalai Lama said that he believed that the Chinese government considered him as a ‘troublemaker’ and had read too much political meaning into his recurrent travels overseas.
“The Chinese government considers me a troublemaker, so it is my duty to create more trouble,” he quipped. “The Chinese government politicises too much wherever I go. Where I go is not political,” he added.
It may be mentioned that the Buddhist leader, who lives in exile in India, recently visited Taiwan, which Beijing treats as part of its territory.
In addition, China has also strongly objected to his scheduled visit next month to Arunachal Pradesh, which is at the heart of a long-running border dispute with China. He is scheduled to visit the Tawang Buddhist monastery in the state on November 8.
“I am surprised the Chinese government is negative about my visit,” he said. “If it creates some problems, that is sad,” Dalai Lama added.
Beijing opposes most activities of the Dalai Lama, whom it accuses of advocating independence from Chinese rule for his native Tibet.
