The Dalai Lama said he isn’t worried about President-elect Donald Trump’s ability to lead the United States and even expressed a desire to visit the White House after the inauguration.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader dismissed Mr. Trump’s harsh rhetoric during his campaign.
“Sometimes I feel during election the candidate has more freedom to express,” he said, Reuters reported. “Once elected, having the responsibility, then they have to tell you their sort of vision, their works according to reality.”
“So I have no worries,” he said.
A potential meeting with Mr. Trump is likely to anger the Chinese government, which views the Dalai Lama as a separatist. President Obama met with the spiritual leader four times during his presidency.
“I think there are some problems to go to United States, so I will go to see the new president,” the Dalai Lama told reporters, without elaborating, Reuters reported.
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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Wednesday that the Dalai Lama “has been engaging in anti-China separatist activities overseas for a long time,” CNN reported.
“We hope the international community can further see clearly the anti-China, separatist essence of the Dalai Lama, and appropriately and cautiously handle Tibet-related issues,” Mr. Geng said.
In September, the Dalai Lama infamously mocked Mr. Trump’s hair and mouth and impersonated the then-Republican nominee in an interview with Piers Morgan.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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