October 31, 2009 1:13 PM

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China overpoliticising my travels: Dalai Lama

Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said today that China is overpoliticising his travels and claimed his decisions on where to go are spiritual in nature, not political. The Dalai Lama, on a visit to Tokyo, said he believed the Chinese Government saw him as a troublemaker and had read too much political meaning into his frequent travels abroad. Despite strong criticism from China, the Buddhist leader, who lives in exile in India, recently visited Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Beijing has also opposed his planned visit next month to India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which India considers as an integral part of it. The Dalai Lama did not shy away from criticising China at his news conference in Tokyo today, saying it lacks freedom and transparency, and is not trusted by its neighbours. He encouraged people to visit Tibet and decide whether Tibetans under Chinese government rule are happy and thriving.

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