U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2009)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 6, 2009

PRESS BRIEFING BY PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

1:21 P.M. EDT

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

Q: Can I ask you a quick thing about China? Why is the President skipping a meeting this week with the Dalai Lama? In the campaign, he said he looked forward to meeting the Dalai Lama. Is he concerned about the Chinese government?

MR. GIBBS: We're concerned about the people in Tibet and we're concerned about the Chinese. I think the statement that the Dalai Lama and his supporters put out yesterday were fully in support of a meeting that will take place later in the year. They understand a strong relationship -- a stronger relationship that we have with China benefits the Tibetan people. I saw something that said a meeting had been postponed, and that's simply inaccurate.

Q: A quick thing on the economy, in terms of the reports today saying that --

MR. GIBBS: We just did a quick thing on the Dalai Lama.

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

Q: Robert, can you say what the reason is that the President won't meet with the Dalai Lama until a later time? Is he worried about irritating Chinese leaders before his visit?

MR. GIBBS: No, the --

Q: Is that a component?

MR. GIBBS: There was an agreement to do this later in the year, and that's what's going to happen.

Q: Is he worried that he might be seen kowtowing to Chinese leaders by not meeting with the Dalai Lama on his forthcoming coming visit?

MR. GIBBS: No, again, Mark, as I said, it's important that Tibetans -- Tibetan people know that our relationship, our strong relationship with China helps them. So I think this was mutually agreed upon, and it's what's going to happen.

Q: Helpful, how so?

MR. GIBBS: Our relationship with China -- having a strong relationship and a good dialogue with them allows us to talk to them about the cares and concerns of the Tibetan people.

Q: Has the President done that?

MR. GIBBS: I believe we have mentioned human rights in meeting with the Chinese, yes.

Q: And what does meeting with the Dalai Lama later have to do with making a strong relationship with China? I don't understand.

MR. GIBBS: What I'm saying simply is that you can't -- you all are assuming that if you meet with one first or one later, that that sets up some sort of sequencing that believes you can't meet with both on a certain timeline or something that has --

Q: That's your decision.

MR. GIBBS: It was our decision, and it was one that was mutually agreed upon.

Q: Is your schedule that full?

MR. GIBBS: It is based on your questioning, yes.

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

Q: Yes, and the President spoke at it. And the President also -- the former President also went to Beijing for the Olympics, saying that he wanted to show respect. Can you explain again why President Obama feels that a meeting now with the Dalai Lama would either complicate or in some other way injure President Obama's relations to China?

MR. GIBBS: No, no, I'm simply saying that in discussions with them we agreed --

Q: "Them"?

MR. GIBBS: -- the Dalai Lama and his staff -- that a meeting would be had later in the year.

Q: What I'm asking is the reason being?

MR. GIBBS: It's the time in which both parties thought it would be the best time to meet.

Q: Do you have a date?

MR. GIBBS: I don't.

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

END
2:00 P.M. EDT