US president meets Dalai Lama

Barack Obama, the US president, has met the Dalai Lama, despite a warning from China that talks with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader could strain ties. The meeting, which took place at the White House on Thursday, was intended to be a low-key affair closed to the media. But it is likely to affect ties with Beijing, which have already been affected by disputes over US arms sale to Taiwan and Chinese internet censorship. The Dalai Lama's visit could also complicate Obama's efforts to secure China's help on key issues such as imposing tougher sanctions on Iran, resolving the North Korean nuclear standoff and forging a new global accord on climate change. But Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman, dismissed concerns over Sino-US relations. "Chinese officials have known about this and their reaction is their reaction," he said on the eve of the meeting, insisting that the two nations have a "mature relationship" capable of withstanding disagreements.