What Does Obama-Dalai Lama Meeting Mean to China?

Call-in with Victor Gao, China lodges solemn representations over Obama-Dalai Lama meeting,
Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai has summoned the U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman and lodged solemn representations over U.S. President Barack Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu says the U.S. act has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, gravely hurt the Chinese people's national sentiments and seriously damaged Sino-U.S. ties.

He says China firmly opposes leaders or government officials of any country meeting the Dalai Lama in any form, and also firmly opposes any country or anyone else using the Dalai Lama issue to interfere in its internal affairs.

To better understand the situation, our collegue Xu Qinduo spoke earlier with Victor Gao, Director of China National Association of International Studies.

1, First of all, for average Americans, it's hard to see why China acts strongly against a seemingly harmless meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama. So what does the meeting mean to China?

2, Damage of the meeting: How much damage will this meeting have on relationship between China and the US, say, will the expected visit by Chinese president Hu Jintao in April be postponed, or even cancelled?

3, The relationship between China and the US has undergone twists and turns in a rather short period of time. How bad do you think can the world's most important bilateral ties go?

That was Xu Qinduo talking to Victor Gao, Director of China National Association of International Studies.