Certainly the Chinese government and people cannot accept the fact that the Dalai Lama will be given the Congressional Gold Medal by the United States.

Using religion as a guise, the Dalai Lama has been engaged in secessionist activities for many years in his vicious attempt to split Tibet from the motherland and instigate political unrest in the autonomous region.

The Chinese government's stand is firm: The Dalai Lama is welcome to return to Tibet as a religious leader as long as he gives up his illegal attempt to seek an independent Tibet.

Tibet has been an integral part of China since ancient times and Chinese central governments of several dynasties have exercised sovereignty over it.

Great changes have taken place in Tibet since the autonomous region was established in 1965 and especially after the economic reform and opening up in the late 1970s. Anyone who visits Tibet will witness how living standards have improved for the Tibetans.

The hardly accessible high plateau region can now be reached by air and land transport which was unimaginable when local Tibetans were under the rule of a serfdom system more than 40 years ago.

As far as religion is concerned, local Tibetans enjoy complete freedom to participate in any religious activity they choose. Both local and central governments have invested a great deal in the renovation and repairing of monasteries in the region and in the protection of local cultural heritages.

If the Dalai Lama really loves the Tibetan people and its culture, he should never turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to what has become of the region and its people. His attempt to seek an independent Tibet with no regard to the well being of its people, and the territorial integrity of China explicitly betrays his ulterior motivations.

It is against diplomatic principles and international rules for the US Congress to confer a medal on such a person. And the Chinese government and people have every reason to consider the event as interference in the internal affairs of China.

We are not willing to see damage done to relations between the two countries, but this event will certainly cast a shadow over the relations. And the US side must be held responsible for the consequences.

(China Daily 10/17/2007 page9)