Q: Recently, Austrian Chancellor Faymann and Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Spindelegger met with Dalai in Vienna. How does China respond?

A: Recently, Austria insisted on arranging Chancellor Faymann and Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Spindelegger to meet with Dalai regardless of China's repeated representations. This constitutes grave interference in China's internal affairs, hurts the feelings of the Chinese people, and sends a wrong signal to "Tibet Independence" forces. China expresses strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to that. China's Foreign Ministry and Embassy in Austria will lodge solemn representations with the Austrian side both in Beijing and Vienna.

The Tibet-related affairs are purely China's internal affairs. Dalai is a political exile long engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cover of religion. China firmly opposes leaders of any country’s meeting with Dalai in whatever form, as well as any country or any person’s attempt to use Dalai to interfere in China's internal affairs. We demand the Austrian side to take China's solemn stance seriously, stop condoning and supporting "Tibet Independence" anti-China forces, and take effective measures to mitigate negative impact, so as to safeguard the sound development of China-Austria relations with concrete actions.