China seeks Indian 'support' on Tibet

BEIJING, March 31 (UPI) -- China, concerned about the Dalai Lama's Tibetan government-in-exile in India, has sought New Delhi's "understanding" and "support" for its stand on the issue.

In a telephone conversation, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo briefed India's National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan on the Tibetan unrest and "expressed the hope that India would continue to show understanding and support to China," the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The Xinhua report quoted Narayanan as saying, "Tibet is part of the Chinese territory and India does not allow Tibetans to conduct anti-China political activities in the country."

India and China fought a border war in 1962, but in recent years the two countries have been coming closer. The improving relations have been cited by some critics for India's reluctance to criticize China on the Tibetan unrest.

Narayanan said he wished the Beijing Olympic Games complete success, the Xinhua report said.

The Press Trust of India in its report of the telephone talk recalled an incident this month when the Indian ambassador was summoned to the Chinese foreign office past midnight to hear Chinese concerns about the storming of its embassy in New Delhi by some Tibetans.