Planned Obama, Dalai Lama meeting protested

The planned meeting between US President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama sends the "wrong signal" to Tibetan separatists and will hamper Washington's relations with Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

China has lodged a diplomatic protest with the United States, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

Obama and the Dalai Lama were scheduled to meet privately at the White House on Wednesday morning. At press time, there was no confirmation of whether the meeting had been held.