Cape Town: Despite earlier denials, the South African government has now admitted that it did take into account its relations with China while denying visa to Dalai Lama two months ago.

The China factor in the denial of visa was mentioned in an affidavit filed by the government in the Cape High Court on Tuesday.

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Earlier, government officials had vehemently denied any pressure from its relations with China amid an international outcry over the controversial visa refusal which precluded the Dalai Lama from attending the 80th birthday celebration of his fellow Nobel Laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

But the Department of Home Affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni in an affidavit said his department had taken into account South Africa`s multi-billion Rand trading partnership with China when deciding on the visa. The court was hearing an application by the leaders of two opposition parties to process "fairly and lawfully" any future visa application by the Tibetan spiritual leader within 30 days of such an application.

Apleni said Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi and Congress of the People President Mosiuoa Lekota had no legal standing to bring such an application, suggesting that those who had originally invited the Dalai Lama were not party to the application.

Apleni said that when visa applications from persons with the stature of the Dali Lama were reviewed, issues such as the national interest of the country were taken into consideration.

The director-general also recalled the "backlash" that occurred when Australia and France allowed the Dalai Lama into their countries and how this had "provided some learning to the (South African) government and the sensitivities that were attendant" to allowing the Dalai into the country.

The relations with China, South Africa`s biggest trading partner, as well as the role of China in getting South Africa admitted to the BRICS group had also played a role in the decision, Apleni conceded.

"(Minister of Home Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma) further took into account the fact that the deputy president (Kgalema Motlanthe) had just conducted a successful (week-long) visit to China", Apleni said, although the impact of this on the visa application was also denied at the time. However senior counsel for Buthelezi Anton Katz told the court that the denial of a visa to the Dalai Lama by the South African government was "unlawful and unconstitutional".

Buthelezi has invited the Dalai Lama to participate in a peace prayer event he will host in South Africa in March next year.

The case will continue on next week.

PTI