U.S. President Barack Obama's recent meeting with the Dalai Lama has sparked strong reactions in China. Xinhua News Agency released an article titled "Foreign Backing Gives Dalai Lama No Room But Doom" to reveal the illegitimate nature of the Dalai Lama's "Tibetan Government-in-exile." The article, bylined Yiduo, also attacked the monk's "Tibet independence." Excerpts of the article follow:

In his five decades of exile, the Dalai Lama has never stopped plotting to seek "Tibet independence" through allying with foreign forces to internationalize the so-called "Tibet issue" and press the Chinese Government.

In recent years, he tried desperately to make international appearances, begging for visits to foreign countries and meeting with state leaders. On February 18, U.S. President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama despite stern warnings from China.

After the meeting, the Dalai Lama claimed that he had the responsibility to speak for 6 million Tibetans.

However, he must have forgotten that the fate of Tibet does not rely on him and a few foreigners, but has always been decided by all the Chinese people, including all ethnic minorities in the region.

'Tibet issue': a pseudo proposition

The so-called "Tibet issue" was fabricated by imperialists to serve their intention of invading, partitioning and containing China.

Back in 1888 and 1904, UK troops intruded into Tibet twice, but failed to take it away from China because of strong revolt from the Tibetan people backed by the whole Chinese nation. Since then, foreign forces turned to cultivating their agents for "Tibet independence" in the upper strata of Tibet's local ruling echelon. After World War II, the United States directly interfered with Tibetan affairs, sabotaging China's cause of national unification and liberation of the people.

In order to maintain a theocratic feudal serfdom, local rulers in Tibet colluded with foreigners first to violently resist the peaceful liberation of Tibet and then start an armed rebellion against democratic reforms.

In 1954, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruited spies among Tibetans, sent them for training and then secretly took them back to China. The United States had been supplying weapons and ammunition to these spies through secret border transport and air-dropping.

In March 1959 when the Dalai Lama and his followers failed in an insurgency and fled Tibet, he was closely accompanied by a CIA radio operator who helped keep contact with outside forces and guided them to air-drop materials to the fleeing group.

Since 1959, the Dalai Lama has been relying on foreign forces. A declassified document showed the United States spent up to $1.66 million on the "Tibet project" in 1964 alone. The money was spent supporting 2,100 "Tibet guerrillas," buying equipment and educating senior "Tibet officials." Other expenditures included transport and intelligence training.

Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama received an allowance of $180,000, a huge amount of money compared with the salary of $100,000 for the then U.S. president.

We can say the "Tibet issue" would have vanished long ago if foreign forces had not made every effort to support the Dalai Lama.

In recent years, foreign financial support to the Dalai Lama and his followers has become a little more hidden, but remained equally strong.

Despite a serious financial crisis, the U.S. Government's 2009 fiscal budget planned $16.8 million for the Dalai clique, an increase of 25 percent over the previous year. It also "paid" the clique in the name of non-governmental organizations and foundations or by inviting the Dalai Lama to give sermons.

Another approach adopted by foreign forces in sensationalizing the "Tibet issue" is to prettify the Dalai Lama and heighten his status.

In 1989 when the world witnessed drastic changes, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Various "honors" came to him afterward, which became "reasons" for some politicians to meet with him.

Even in the poor and weak old China, imperialists and local separatist forces in Tibet could not succeed in splitting the region from China. Any "Tibet independence" conspiracy nowadays is no different from a farce as socialist China grows increasingly stronger.

Illegitimate clique

The Dalai Lama tries very hard to legitimize his clique, but in fact he is just a card in the hand of foreign forces to serve their China strategies.

In 2008, the "Note Relating to the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for All Tibetans" spread by the Dalai Lama clique once again claimed that the "Tibetan Government-in-exile" symbolized the interests of Tibetans and represented the Tibetan people.

After the "note" was rebutted by the Chinese Government, the clique recently made up an interpretation, claiming it is beyond doubt at any time that the Dalai Lama is the legal representative of Tibetan people.

In fact, the Dalai Lama and the so-called "Tibetan Government-in-exile," which is the "Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" in full, are the very same thing. Neither is legitimate at all. They are merely a political clique raised by foreign forces to be engaged in activities aimed at splitting the motherland.

In 1951, the local government of Tibet signed with the Central Government the 17-Point Agreement on the peaceful liberation of Tibet.

The Dalai Lama telegraphed the Central Government with pledges to advocate and assist the People's Liberation Army in strengthening national defense, driving out imperialist forces and safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the motherland.

Given the agreement, the local government headed by the Dalai Lama was legitimate at the time.

On March 10, 1959, the ruling class of the Tibetan local government launched an armed rebellion and declared "Tibet independence." The Dalai Lama announced the founding of a "provisional government" headed by him as he was fleeing from the Norbulingka Palace in Lhasa. Later, outside China, he worked out a string of activities demonstrating "Tibet independence."

On March 28, 1959, Premier Zhou Enlai issued a State Council decree to dismiss the local government of Tibet given their rebellious act that defied the 17-Point Agreement. The mandate of the local government was replaced by the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Therefore, the so-called "Tibetan Government-in-exile," which lumped together the rebels, was against the interests of all ethnic groups in Tibet and also illegal.