China unity at stake in Tibet debate, says Hu

Hu Jintao said Beijing's conflict with the Dalai Lama was a question of national unity & not ethnicity or human rights.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Saturday that Beijing’s conflict with the Dalai Lama was purely a question of national unity and nothing to do with ethnicity, religion or human rights, Xinhua news agency reported.

His remarks were among the clearest yet from the top echelon of China’s leadership to frame the Tibet troubles as an existential threat to the country.

“Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, not a religious problem, nor a human rights problem,” Hu said. “It is a problem of either preserving national unity or splitting the motherland.”

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Hu, who made his comments in a meeting with visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, also reiterated China’s position that it was open to talks with the Dalai Lama, but that Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader was blocking the way.

He said China was ready to meet the Dalai Lama provided he desists from trying to “split the motherland”, “incite violence” and “ruin the Beijing Olympics”.

The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, has rejected claims he orchestrated recent anti-Chinese violence and protests, and said he supports the Olympics and opposes a boycott of the Beijing Games.

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