China on Tuesday accused the Dalai Lama of "masterminding" the self-immolation bid by a Tibetan activist in New Delhi ahead of the visit of President Hu Jintao to attract world attention on Tibet independence.
"I want to point out that recently the Dalai group is sparing no efforts to incite Tibet independence activities by creating various troubles", Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, told a media briefing in Beijing.
Asked about China's reaction to the self-immolation bid on the eve of BRICS summit to be attended by President Hu, Hong said "the behaviour once again shows that the Dalai group is masterminding similar actions".
"Such behaviour for Tibet independence splittist political scheme is doomed to fail and will be strongly condemned by the international community", he said.
The immolation bid at Delhi follows over 30 such attempts in some of the Tibetan areas in China over the past few months, calling for the return of the Dalai Lama from his exile in Dharmasala.
Despite heavy security arrangements in Tibet and the four Tibetan provinces surrounding it, the immolation bids mainly by Buddhist monks and nuns have continued periodically.
The Chinese government in recent times directly blamed the Tibetan government in exile as well as the Tibetan Youth Congress.
In his recent press conference Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao directly named the "Tibetan government in exile in Dharmasala" for attempting to separate Tibet from China by creating unrest.
"The purpose of it is to separate Tibet and the Tibetan inhabited areas in the four province from China. We have a firm position and principle on this matter", Wen said.
Apprehensive that Tibetan activists could carry out such self immolation bids, the Deputy Director General of Chinese foreign ministry in-charge of Asia, Sun Weidong recently praised Indian police for stopping attempts by Tibetan activists to disrupt Olympic torch run in 2008.
While criticising the Dalai Lama, Chinese officials also praised India's stand on Tibet.
"We have managed the issues well", Luo Zhaohui, director-general of department of Asian affairs of the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs said in his March 20 media briefing on BRICS summit."
"We appreciate India's stand that Tibet is inalienable part of China's territory and India does not allow Dalai Lama to use its territory for any separatist activities against China", he said.
A Tibetan youth Jamyang Yeshi (26) poured some fuel and set himself on fire in New Delhi yesterday. Protesters doused the flames with Tibetan flags and rushed Yeshi to a hospital where doctors said he had suffered serious burn injuries and his condition is said to be critical.
