Any attempt to sabotage stability & development in Tibet doomed to fail

BEIJING—Any attempt by any person and by any means to sabotage stability and development in Tibet is doomed to fail, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said here Thursday.
Liu, in response to a question at a regular press conference, said that China has firmly engaged in the development, stability and prosperity of Tibet. The Dalai Lama is a political exile who is attempting to separate the motherland, he said. According to Liu, certain countries and persons showed interest in the Dalai Lama for two reasons. “Some people have been misled by him, while some hope to change something through him,” he said.
“Actually, they can change nothing,” Liu stressed. No one or effort “can change the firm determination of the Chinese people, including the Tibetan people, to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor can they change China’s determination to engage in development, stability and prosperity in Tibet,” he said. He hoped certain countries make no miscalculation over the issue.
In response to a question on the proposed December meeting between the Pope and the Dalai Lama, Liu said that China urged the Vatican not to do anything which will hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, and he urged the Vatican to show its sincerity in improving ties with China with earnest acts.
Certain acts made by certain countries on the Dalai Lama issue has already brought damage to their ties with China, he said. Moreover, these acts “will further undermine their image in the minds of the Chinese people and also their credibility in observing basic norms of international relations,” he said. He hoped relevant parties would face up to the problem and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs, in an effort to maintain bilateral ties with concrete acts.
China on Tuesday lashed out at the planned award to the Dalai Lama by the U.S. Congress, saying it will not affect stability in the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region. “It will only be an injection of cardiotonic to secessionist activities,” Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the regional government of Tibet, told reporters at the ongoing 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The Dalai Lama is to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, a top U.S. civilian award, on Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony is said to be attended by U.S. President George W. Bush.
“The award won’t have much influence on the stable development of Tibet,” said Qiangba Puncog, a delegate to the Party congress. He said the Dalai Lama has received dozens of awards in the West, and has been taking advantage of his special identity to be a cat’s paw for some people. “This is not the first time, nor will it be the last. But his influence is very limited.” At Tuesday’s routine press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao described the U.S. award to the Dalai Lama as “gross interference in China’s internal affairs”, saying it severely trampled on the norms of international relations and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
“I have, on several occasions, urged the U.S. side to cancel such arrangements and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs in any ways,” Liu said.—Xinhua