WELLINGTON, Sept 11 (AFP) - New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger on Wednesday met exiled Tibertan leader the Dalai Lama, ignoring a warning from China that it could damage relations.

The New Zealand government has insisted the Dalai Lama is an international religious leader, and that Bolger is meeting him in that capacity.

The meeting in Bolger's office lasted 30 minutes and neither made any comment after the talks. A spokeswoman for Bolger would only say the discussions were "wide ranging."

The spokeswoman said the Dalai Lama was not a guest of the government and his visit was private.

The Chinese embassy in Wellington issued a statement Tuesday saying it hoped the meeting would be cancelled "to avoid impeding Sino-New Zealand relations."