Obama-Dalai Lama meeting a lose-lose deal

He and his representatives have tried to convince the Chinese government of the same approach in several rounds of talks, but to no avail.

The seemingly reasonable and mild "middle way approach" is just a camouflaged attempt at Tibetan independence.

The 14th Dalai Lama, frustrated by China's growth and the infighting among exiled pro-Tibet independence groups, has toned down his independence claims since 1994.

Instead, he has taken a softly-softly approach, insisting he does not seek independence but demanding a high degree of autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the Chinese Constitution.

His call for "true autonomy" is tantamount to an eradication of Chinese sovereignty over Tibet.

The Dalai Lama requests "true autonomy" over the proposed "Greater Tibet," a region extending to Tibetan-inhabited areas in the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. This is an obvious attempt to overthrow the system governing China's ethnic minority regions.

With such a secessionist attempt in mind, he has never renounced the "Tibetan Exile Constitution," an outlawed document similar to the "Future Tibet Constitution" drafted in 1963, which proclaimed the establishment of an "ethnically unified state led by the Dalai Lama."

The 14th Dalai Lama, who allegedly retired from his political roles three years ago, has never stopped trying to sell his independence message to overseas Tibetans and innocent people in the West.

From time to time, he has done away with his facade of "non-violence" and tacitly approved of self-immolations in China's Tibetan areas.

The Dalai Lama has allegedly been fighting for the rights and interests of Tibetans since he fled China in 1959. Such claims, however, are merely meant to appease devout Tibetan Buddhists who still have faith in him and to persuade his Western patrons to continue to support his "Tibet independence" movement, which aims to eventually separate Tibet from China.

No matter what Obama is to discuss with the Dalai Lama Friday, their meeting will be sheer politics, but of no avail in manipulating China over the Tibet issue.

It is high time for the United States to wake up to Dalai Lama's hypocrisy and abandon the lose-lose deal.

Related:

China firmly opposes Obama-Dalai meeting

Dalai Lama aims to rock Tibet's foundation: white paper

Dalai Lama accused of seeking 'Tibet independence'

Tibet deals 'heavy blow' against separatists

Life in Tibet