Some people, including Muslim participants at a recent interfaith peace conference, have complained that Pope Benedict XVI isn’t doing enough for interreligious dialog. But the government of China thinks he’s doing too much.
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry warned yesterday of “serious repercussions” if the pope goes through with a planned December 13 meeting with the Dalai Lama.
“We hope the Vatican will not do anything to hurt the Chinese people’s feelings,” said Liu Jianchao.
Beijing, which opposes the Dalai Lama’s demands for autonomy for his native Tibet, is still upset about the exiled Buddhist leader’s visit to Washington last month, when he met with President Bush and addressed the U.S. Congress.
China and the Vatican, which differ over who should control the Chinese Catholic Church, have not had formal diplomatic ties for over half a century. But recent events, including the Vatican’s approval of a government-appointed bishop of Beijing, have suggested that relations were improving.