Holmes
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2011
- Messages
- 1,015
- Reaction score
- -2
- Country
- Location
China accused of threatening to boycott Leeds over Dalai Lama visit
Country allegedly said it would pull athletes from training camp if Tibetan spiritual leader's visit goes ahead
The Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama attends a ceremony in St Paul's Cathedral in London last month to receive an award. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
China has been accused of bullying after it reportedly threatened to pull its Olympic athletes out of their training camp in Leeds because of a visit to the city by the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, who Beijing views as a dangerous separatist, was due to address a business convention on Friday, but it has been claimed that Chinese officials have requested the event be cancelled.
Fabian Hamilton, the Labour MP for Leeds North East and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Tibet, described the reported demand as "bully-boy tactics".
He told the BBC: "I find it distasteful, to say the least, that two representatives of a country whose human rights record is appalling, where freedom of speech is not allowed and where there is no real democracy, come to the city of Leeds and tell our elected officials that they can't do what they think is best for the city under pain of economic sanction."
About 300 athletes, coaches and support staff representing China are due to be based in the West Yorkshire city to prepare for the Games.
Leeds is expected to enjoy financial benefits of at least £250,000 by hosting the team.
Asked whether the Dalai Lama's visit to Leeds would have any impact on China's participation in the Olympics, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing referred to David Cameron's meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader last month.
"We hope the British side stop making mistakes again and again, which undermine China's interests," Liu Weimin told a regular news briefing.
"China-UK relations have been affected by the recent meeting between the British leader and the Dalai Lama. The responsibility lies with the British side.
"The Chinese delegation is making preparations for the 2012 Olympics, I think politics and sport should be separated."
Leeds city council said it was aware of "sensitivities" surrounding the Dalai Lama's visit, but stressed it was not involved in organising the business conference.
"The Yorkshire International Business Convention is a private event not organised by Leeds city council," Tom Riordan, chief executive of the council, said.
"Whilst we are aware of some sensitivities around this year's convention, as it is not a council event we do not feel it is appropriate for us to make any further comment."
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile since fleeing Tibet in 1959. China claims Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many in the region and in exile claim it was independent for centuries before the Chinese invaded in the 1950s.
A representative of the Dalai Lama in Delhi said they had no direct knowledge of the reported Chinese demands but were not surprised. "Whenever his holiness moves his feet or opens his mouth they protest. They accuse him of all kinds of things. So they are perfectly capable of that."[/quote]
China accused of threatening to boycott Leeds over Dalai Lama visit | UK news | The Guardian
Country allegedly said it would pull athletes from training camp if Tibetan spiritual leader's visit goes ahead
The Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama attends a ceremony in St Paul's Cathedral in London last month to receive an award. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
China has been accused of bullying after it reportedly threatened to pull its Olympic athletes out of their training camp in Leeds because of a visit to the city by the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetan spiritual leader, who Beijing views as a dangerous separatist, was due to address a business convention on Friday, but it has been claimed that Chinese officials have requested the event be cancelled.
Fabian Hamilton, the Labour MP for Leeds North East and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Tibet, described the reported demand as "bully-boy tactics".
He told the BBC: "I find it distasteful, to say the least, that two representatives of a country whose human rights record is appalling, where freedom of speech is not allowed and where there is no real democracy, come to the city of Leeds and tell our elected officials that they can't do what they think is best for the city under pain of economic sanction."
About 300 athletes, coaches and support staff representing China are due to be based in the West Yorkshire city to prepare for the Games.
Leeds is expected to enjoy financial benefits of at least £250,000 by hosting the team.
Asked whether the Dalai Lama's visit to Leeds would have any impact on China's participation in the Olympics, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing referred to David Cameron's meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader last month.
"We hope the British side stop making mistakes again and again, which undermine China's interests," Liu Weimin told a regular news briefing.
"China-UK relations have been affected by the recent meeting between the British leader and the Dalai Lama. The responsibility lies with the British side.
"The Chinese delegation is making preparations for the 2012 Olympics, I think politics and sport should be separated."
Leeds city council said it was aware of "sensitivities" surrounding the Dalai Lama's visit, but stressed it was not involved in organising the business conference.
"The Yorkshire International Business Convention is a private event not organised by Leeds city council," Tom Riordan, chief executive of the council, said.
"Whilst we are aware of some sensitivities around this year's convention, as it is not a council event we do not feel it is appropriate for us to make any further comment."
The Dalai Lama has lived in exile since fleeing Tibet in 1959. China claims Tibet has always been part of its territory, but many in the region and in exile claim it was independent for centuries before the Chinese invaded in the 1950s.
A representative of the Dalai Lama in Delhi said they had no direct knowledge of the reported Chinese demands but were not surprised. "Whenever his holiness moves his feet or opens his mouth they protest. They accuse him of all kinds of things. So they are perfectly capable of that."[/quote]
China accused of threatening to boycott Leeds over Dalai Lama visit | UK news | The Guardian
