'Furious' China warns UK of 'serious consequences' over private meeting with Dalai Lama

London, May 16 (ANI): China has warned British Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of 'serious consequences' for the UK after they had a private meeting with spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

China's foreign ministry said that Monday's meeting between the Dalai Lama and the British leaders had 'seriously interfered with China's internal affairs'.

According to The Daily Mail, Britain's ambassador in Beijing, Sebastian Wood, was summoned to the foreign ministry to receive a rebuke from China's vice foreign minister Song Tao.

A spokesman said Song had told Wood that the British leaders should fully consider the 'serious consequences' of ignoring China's objections and going ahead with the meeting.

He urged Britain to take 'practical actions to correct the error,' the report said.

"We call on the British side to stop conniving at and supporting separatist attempts to achieve Tibetan independence, take practical measures to eliminate the terrible impact and take actions to preserve Chinese-British relations," the paper quoted Song, as saying.

"The Dalai Lama travels all over the world and has visited the UK several times in the past, and I believe that former prime ministers also met him when they were in office,' the spokesman added.

The Dalai Lama met Cameron and Clegg at St Paul's Cathedral, where he received the Templeton Prize for his work affirming the spiritual dimension of life. (ANI)