London: China has reportedly cancelled a senior leader’s visit to Britain in protest against a meeting between UK Prime Minister David Cameron and the Dalai Lama.
Wu Bangguo, China's top legislator, had planned a trip to London to round off a short European tour.
But diplomatic sources revealed that the visit was called off when China found out Cameron was going to meet the Tibetan spiritual leader.
China also reportedly told the British ambassador that the meeting had ‘damaged relations with the UK’.
“We are strongly discontented and firmly opposed to it. The British government has [hurt] the feelings of the Chinese people, meddled in China's affairs and harmed Chinese-British relations,” the daily Mail quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman, as saying.
“We call on the British side to earnestly respond to China’s solemn demand, stop conniving at and supporting separatist attempts to achieve Tibetan independence,” the spokesman said.
“Take practical measures to eliminate the terrible impact and take actions to preserve Chinese-British relations,” he added.
Cameron had met the Dalai Lama earlier this month as he travelled to the UK to collect the GBP 1.1 million Templeton prize, which he donated to Save The Children.
ANI
First Published: Saturday, May 26, 2012, 12:11