China seeks India's support on Tibet issue

With the Tibet issue threatening to cast a shadow on its ties with India, China on Sunday briefed New Delhi on the recent violence in Lhasa and sought its 'understanding' and support for Beijing's position.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo spoke to India's National Security Adviser M K Narayanan over phone and briefed him on the 'violent crimes' in Lhasa and 'expounded' China's stance on and concerns over the Tibet issue.

Narayanan stated that Tibet was part of the Chinese territory and that India does not allow Tibetans to conduct 'anti-China political activities' in the country, official Xinhua news agency said.

"India will always stick to this position as it has been doing all along," it quoted him as having told Dai, with whom the Indian official is involved in regular talks in their position as Special Representatives over boundary issue.

The two officials also spoke 'highly' of the developments of the China-India relations and expressed willingness to work together to achieve 'positive progress' in boundary negotiations between the two countries, it said.

Narayanan wished a 'complete success' for the Beijing Olympics.

China had summoned Indian ambassador Nirupama Rao to Foreign Office past midnight recently to convey concerns over storming of its embassy in New Delhi by a group of Tibetans and had ignored India while taking foreign diplomats to riots-hit Lhasa.

Beijing had also expressed fears about the safety of the Olympic torch, which was due to pass India as Tibetans had threatened to disrupt the relay following the Chinese crackdown on the most vicious pro-independence protests in two decades that erupted in Tibet on March 10.