China Scraps Summit Over EU Meetings With Dalai Lama

The Chinese government canceled a summit with leaders of the EU in response to the plans of several European countries to host the Dalai Lama next month, the Financial Times reports. The summit was to address the global financial crisis, and an EU statement expressed regret that China pulled out.

“The EU will continue to promote a relationship of strategic partnership with China, particularly at a moment when the global economic and financial situation calls for very close co-operation between Europe and China,” the statement continued. EU President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet the Dalai Lama next weekend in Poland at a ceremony for Nobel Peace prize winners. The Tibetan spiritual leader will also address the EU Parliament in Belgium.