China angry with Denmark over Dalai Lama visit

By Peter Levring

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - China said on Saturday Danish leaders had seriously harmed bilateral relations by meeting exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama.

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Foreign Minister Per Stig MMoller met the spiritual leader of Tibet on Friday privately, rather than welcoming him on an official state visit, in the hope of not upsetting China, but Beijing reacted sternly.

"This has ruined the friendly, cooperative atmosphere between China and Denmark. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and protest over this," the Foreign Ministry said in a website statement.

The Danish foreign minister said in an email to Reuters:

"The meeting with the Dalai Lama does not change Denmark's policy or our wish to build an ever closer relationship with China."

The European Union's relations with China were strained last year after French President Nicolas Sarkozy met the Dalai Lama when France held the 27-nation bloc's rotating presidency.

Danish companies such as A.P.Moller-Maersk, wind turbine maker Vestas, insulin maker Novo Nordisk and other industrial entities have invested heavily in Chinese manufacturing over recent years.