French President Nicolas Sarkozy's reckless plan to meet with the Dalai Lama has forced Beijing to take the unprecedented¹ decision of delaying a summit with European leaders, the Foreign Ministry² said yesterday.

"In China we have a saying: 'Whoever causes the problem should solve the problem.' It is not China that caused the present situation," the ministry's spokesman Qin Gang told reporters at a news briefing.

On Wednesday, Beijing decided³ to delay the 11th Sino-EU Summit scheduled for Monday in France, which holds the rotating EU presidency⁴. Paris announced earlier that Sarkozy would meet with the Dalai Lama at a Dec 6 ceremony in Poland to honor former Solidarity⁵ leader Lech Walesa.

Premier⁶ Wen Jiabao was due to attend the annual meeting to discuss ways to tackle the financial crisis.

"Tibet issues concern China's sovereignty and territorial⁷ integrity, they concern China's core interests, and the Chinese government and people resolutely⁸ oppose ... foreign leaders engaging in any form of contact with the Dalai Lama," Qin said.

Beijing is still willing to promote relations with France and the EU, and whether the meeting will be rescheduled depends on the reaction from the French side, Qin said.

In Paris, a French government spokesman confirmed yesterday Sarkozy would not change his plan to meet with the Dalai Lama.

Yu Sui, a scholar in Sino-European relations, said this is not the first time Sarkozy has used the "Tibet card" for his own political interests and hence affect the hard-won prosperous cooperation between Beijing and Paris".

"Now Sarkozy has changed his mind again. In the long-term, I don't think he will benefit. China will never concede on the Tibet issue."

Yang Chengxu, former head of the China Institute of International Studies, said it is highly impossible for the summit to resume this year, given the attitude of Paris and the limited time.

The situation will probably change when Czech Republic takes the rotating EU presidency from France in January, he said.

Questions:

1. What meeting was scheduled for Monday in France?

2. Why was the meeting postponed⁹?

3. According to a Sino EU scholar why is Sarkozy playing the “Tibet Card”?

Answers:

1. The 11th Sino-EU Summit.

2. Because France’s President Sarkozy plans to meet with the Dalai Lama at a Dec 6 ceremony and China opposes foreign leaders doing this.

3. For his own political interests.