Nancy Pelosi meets the Dalai Lama and takes a swipe at Xi Jinping in visit that’s sparked a furious response from China

Nancy Pelosi met the Dalai Lama at his residence in India on Wednesday morning, a move that angered China.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, 84, greeted the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader by rubbing her head on his and lashed out at Chinese President Xi Jinping after being warned by the Communist Party not to attend.

The Democrat’s greeting came just days after Joe Biden made a similar gesture with Pope Francis, who looked very surprised.

Beijing considers the 88-year-old Dalai Lama a separatist, cut off all communication with his representatives in 2010 and does not recognize the Tibetan government.

“His Holiness Dalai Lama, with his message of knowledge, tradition, compassion, purity of soul and love, will live long and his legacy will live on forever. But you, the president of China, you will be gone and no one will give you credit for anything,” she said.

Pelosi admitted that the Nobel Peace Prize winner would not have approved of her comments about the Chinese communist leader.

“When I criticize the Chinese government, he says, let’s pray that Nancy will rid her of her negative attitude,” she added.

Pelosi was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation that visited the hill town where the Dalai Lama has made his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

There the group, including top Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, met with officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile, which wants greater autonomy for Tibet.

Beijing does not recognize the government and has not engaged in dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.

After meeting with the spiritual leader on Wednesday, the seven US lawmakers addressed hundreds of people who had gathered at a monastery outside the Dalai Lama’s residence, waving American and Tibetan flags.

They told the crowd that a major focus of their visit was to highlight the Resolve Tibet Act, which was passed by the US Congress last week and aims to encourage dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials in the hope of find a peaceful solution between Tibet and China. Beijing.

The bill must now be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign it into law.

Pelosi said the bill is “a message to the Chinese government that we have clarity in our thinking and our understanding of this issue of Tibet’s freedom,” drawing applause.

“His Holiness Dalai Lama, with his message of knowledge, tradition, compassion, purity of soul and love, will live long and his legacy will live on forever. But you, the president of China, you will be gone and no one will give you credit for anything,” she said

The former Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, 84, held talks with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and lashed out at Chinese President Xi Jinping

Pelosi was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation visiting the hill town where the Dalai Lama has made his headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

Top Republican Rep. Michael McCaul also met the Nobel Peace Prize winner and said the Chinese Communist Party had warned lawmakers not to visit

McCaul, the Republican representative, said it reaffirmed U.S. support for the Tibetan right to self-determination. “Just this week, our delegation received a letter from the Chinese Communist Party warning us not to come here… but we were not intimidated by the CCP because we are here today,” he said as people cheered.

However, the visit and the recently passed bill have prompted swift reactions from Beijing.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, urged Washington on Tuesday not to support Tibetan independence, saying the White House “must not sign the bill into law” or China will take “resolute measures” , without explaining what they can do. are.

“It is known to everyone that the 14th Dalai Lama is not a purely religious figure, but a political exile who is engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the guise of religion,” Lin added, urging the US side insisted ‘not to have any contact with the Dalai. group in any form, and stop sending the wrong signal to the world.”

Pelosi admitted that the Nobel Peace Prize winner would not have approved of her comments about the Chinese communist leader. “When I criticize the Chinese government, he says, let’s pray that Nancy will rid her of her negative attitude,” she added.

Tibetans gather outside the Dalai Lama’s hilltop home in Dharamshala, India, for the visit of US lawmakers

The Dalai Lama denies being a separatist and says he only supports substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet’s indigenous Buddhist culture.

The Tibetan spiritual leader has a history of contacts with US officials, including US presidents – from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama – except Donald Trump. He has not met Biden since taking office in 2021.

The Dalai Lama is expected to travel to the US on Thursday for medical treatment on his knees, but it is unclear whether he will meet officials there.

Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly asked the US not to interfere in Tibetan affairs, and it has done so argued that the people of Tibet have experienced social stability and economic growth under his rule.

Although India considers Tibet to be part of China, it is home to Tibetan exiles.