Obama meets with Dalai Lama despite Chinese pressure - CNN

Obama used his first presidential meeting with the Dalai Lama to press China, under international criticism for its Tibet policies, to preserve Tibetan identity and respect human rights.

He sat down with the Dalai Lama, reviled by the Chinese government as a dangerous separatist, in the face of wider tensions over U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, China's currency practices and Internet censorship.

While defying Beijing's demands to scrap the talks and showing a willingness to irritate an increasingly assertive China, the White House took pains to keep the encounter low-key, barring media coverage. But it later posted a photo on its official website of the two men side by side in conversation.

Beijing said it was "strongly dissatisfied" about the meeting and expected Washington to take steps to put bilateral relations back on a healthy course.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said the meeting "violated the U.S. government's repeated acceptance that Tibet is a part of China and it does not support Tibetan independence."

Monks living in Tongren, an overwhelmingly ethnic Tibetan part of the northwestern Chinese province of Qinghai, set off fireworks for a second night to celebrate.

"This is great news for the Tibetans," one monk told Reuters. "We don't care that it makes the government angry. It makes us very happy that Obama met him."

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[XiaoDanDragon]

He's got a point

[XDents]

@CHINESEGONEMAD So I'm glad to say that I really love him and I was inspired from him to a whole new life ;)

And that I think that China should go away and hand him back Tibet because it belongs to him! China just invaded it when he was 15.. Doesn't seem fair, that he have escaped his whole life and still fighting for Tibet!

Go away China and hand him back Tibet!

[XDents]

@CHINESEGONEMAD I honestly dont know, but one thing I do know, is that Tibet belongs to Tenzin Gyatso (Dalai Lama). Tenzin Gyatso has inspired me to many things.

I saw (7 Years in Tibet) the 16th April 2011. And suddenly the day after (17th April 2011) He went to Denmark for the second or third time.. Never heard of him before other than in the movie (7 Years in Tibet). And the funny thing is that I live in Denmark ;) So I was really inspired, researched things about him and stuff.

[CHINESEGONEMAD]

I wonder, Do Chinese really feel feel  Tibet a part of China or just consider for the economic interest.....God bless Chinese on the way to hell!!!!!!!!

[Tagyudhdolma11]

Great!!!!! I was so much dying to hear positive thing. Great job Obama:) long live his holiness.

[markwessex]

Well done Obama in not listening to chinese threats - communist dictatorship.

[tibetsorrow59]

Long live his holiness the Dalai Lama!

We are very proud of his commitment for love, peace, compassion, and respect to other human-beings.

[azaadi829]

he's the sun to us all!

[TibetKanagawa]

LONG LIVE HIS HOLINESS!