Author: Saibal Dasgupta
Publication: The Times of India
Date: May 9, 2009
China is engaged in a war of words with France,
Japan and Mexico. It is fuming over a decision by the Paris City Council to
give honorary citizenship to the Dalai Lama next month.
The move comes five weeks after president
Hu Jintao met with French leader Nicolas Sarkozy and got his country to promise
it would do nothing to encourage the campaign for Tibet's independence.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu
said on Thursday that Paris should stop interfering in China's internal affairs.
"I want to reaffirm that Sino-French relations got back on track through
the joint efforts of both countries," Ma said indicating that the relationship
can worsen if the Dalai Lama was given special honours.
China has earlier tongue lashed leaders of
the US, Australia and Germany for meeting the Tibetan leader and giving him
special honours.
