Pres. Obama to meet with Dalai Lama, despite China rift

President Barack Obama still plans to fulfill his pledge to meet with the Dalai Lama in the coming months, White House officials said Tuesday, even though the meeting threatens to freeze already chilly relations between the United States and China.

While Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton declined to say when that meeting might occur, he told reporters the Dalai Lama is "an internationally respected religious and cultural leader." He added the White House would announce a date for the meet "as it comes closer."

"To be clear, the U.S. considers Tibet to be a part of China," Burton added. "We have human rights concerns about the treatment of Tibetans. We urge the government of China to protect the unique cultural and religious traditions of Tibet."

The White House's announcement on Tuesday is likely to draw the ire of Chinese leaders, who told reporters earlier this week a meeting with the Dalai Lama would “seriously undermine the political foundation of Sino-U.S. relations” and “threaten trust and cooperation" between the two countries.

Chinese leaders voiced similar concerns before the president was supposed to meet with the Dalai Lama last October -- a subtle diplomatic threat that many said was the reason Obama ultimately canceled on the Tibetan spiritual leader during his trip to D.C. last year. But White House officials seem to have no interest in following a similar path in the coming months, even as the United States and China are growing increasingly distant.

The White House and China remain at odds on a host of issues -- from internet security, after Chinese officials allegedly hacked Google, to arms sales, following the White House's decision to offer billions in weaponry to Taiwan. Both have pushed Chinese officials to threaten the United States diplomatically at a time when the two nations are trying to reach a number of important international agreements, including one on climate change.

But Burton on Tuesday stressed the president's meeting with the Dalai Lama would not antagonize that standoff. He stressed the two sides could continue to work together, even as U.S. officials offer an audience to Tibetan leaders who feel oppressed by the Chinese government.

"As the president has expressed, we expect that our relationship with China is mature enough where we can work on issues of mutual concern, such as climate, the global economy, and nonproliferation, and discuss frankly and candidly those issues where we disagree," Burton said. "The president is committed to building a positive, comprehensive, and cooperative relationship with China."

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