China on Tuesday praised the United Progressive Alliance government for asking its ministers to stay away from a recent function to felicitate the Dalai Lama. China has often alleged that the Buddhist spiritual leader is trying to 'split China'.

Though being a religious leader, the Dalai Lama is involved in politics, China's Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi told reporters in New Delhi.

"I greatly appreciate the move by the Indian government," he said when asked to comment on the recent advisory of Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar asking union ministers to stay away from a function to honour the Dalai Lama.

"He (the Dalai Lama) is trying to separate and split China," Sun said on the sidelines of a function organised by the Federation of Indian Exporters Organisations.

The Cabinet Secretary had issued a circular which advised ministers not to attend the function on Saturday.

The Tibetan spiritual leader had returned from a visit to the US where he received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by the US Congress, much to the chagrin of China.