(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-18 19:33

China on Tuesday warned Germany not to receive the Dalai Lama and avoid any official contact with him.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu was responding to a question concerning German Chancellor Angela Merkel's intended meeting with the Dalai Lama later this month in Berlin.

"We have very clear stance on the Dalai Lama issue", Jiang told a press briefing, noting Tibet is a part of China and the Tibet issue belongs to China's internal affairs.

"The Dalai Lama is not simply a religious figure. Underneath the disguise of religion, he is a long-time political exile engaged in splittist activities," she said.

The Chinese government is firmly against any official contact of foreign officials with the Dalai Lama, the spokesperson said, calling on Germany not to have official contacts with him and avoid harm on China-Germany relations.