China calls off U.K. trip over Dalai Lama

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BEIJING, May 25 (UPI) -- A senior Chinese leader's visit to Britain has been canceled because of Britain's decision to host the Dalai Lama, officials said.

Wu Bangguo, China's top legislator, was set to visit the United Kingdom, but called it off after British Prime Minister David Cameron met with the Dalai Lama earlier this month, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"We are strongly discontented and firmly opposed to it," a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry said at the time of the meeting.

"We call on the British side to earnestly respond to China's solemn demand: stop conniving at and supporting separatist attempts to achieve Tibetan independence, take practical measures to eliminate the terrible impact and take actions to preserve Chinese-British relations," the spokesman said.

Wu just concluded a tour of Europe that was due to include the short trip to Britain.

China has reacted strongly toward other countries for hosting the Dalai Lama in the past.

In 2008, China called off a diplomatic visit to France because Nicholas Sarkozy, then French president, was due to meet the exiled Tibetan symbol.