Dalai Lama asks China to 'open up'

Advocating 'genuine friendship' between India and China, the Dalai Lama on Friday said it was essential for the two most populous nations to develop mutual trust, which can be achieved if China transforms into an 'open society'.

Talking to reporters after his meetings with United States President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Tibetan spiritual leader told China that if it has to realise its goal of becoming a superpower, it should also lay emphasis on moral authority and end censorship.

"China should be an open society. Then, trust can develop, particularly with India. I think genuine friendship between the two most populated nations is very, very essential. Genuine friendship only comes on the basis of mutual trust," he said.

Contending that a closed society led to suspicion and distrust, he said it created 'more suspicion, more distrust (sic)'.

Contending that censorship and hiding the truth, was 'immoral', he said the over one billion people of China had the right to know the reality.

"And also, you see, the Chinese people have brains to judge which is right, which is wrong. So there is no reason to put a lot of control on the media. That's wrong. This I really feel very strongly," he said.