Chinese authorities attacked US President Barack Obama yesterday following his meeting with Tibet’s Dalai Lama at the White House yesterday, a gesture that China said would damage relationships.

The US leader last met the Dalai Lama at the White House in 2011 in talks that triggered an angry response from Beijing.

China, which calls the Dalai Lama a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and accuses him of seeking independence for Tibet, was quick to react to Thursday’s announcement.

“China is firmly opposed to this,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

“We urge the US side to treat China’s concern seriously.”

Ms Hua called the Dalai Lama a “political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.”

Earlier, with the Dalai Lama already in the US, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden announced Mr Obama would meet the monk “in his capacity as an internationally respected religious and cultural leader.”

Ms Hayden said that the US supported the Dalai Lama’s approach but recognised Tibet to be “a part of the People’s Republic of China.”

“We do not support Tibetan independence,” she said.

“The US strongly supports human rights and religious freedom in China.

“We are concerned about continuing tensions and the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China.”

In Beijing, Ms Hua retorted: “The US leader’s meeting with the Dalai is a gross interference in China’s internal affairs and will seriously impair China-US relations.”