BEIJING, Sept 12 (AFP) - China said Thursday that ties with New Zealand had been damaged by Prime Minister Jim Bolger's recent meeting with the Dalai Lama, and reiterated a warning to Australia against making a similar mistake.

Bolger, ignoring protests from Beijing, met with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader on Wednesday in Wellington.

"This is a clear interference in the internal affairs of China, and will affect relations between China and New Zealand," Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang said.

Shen also rejected Bolger's defence that he was only meeting with the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader.

"The Dalai Lama has expressed more interest in political rather than religious activities, and he is primarily a political exile," Shen said.

The Chinese embassy in Wellington lodged a formal protest over the meeting, while the foreign ministry here called in the New Zealand ambassador to voice its official disapproval.

The Dalai Lama is due to arrive in Australia on Saturday, and a meeting has been scheduled with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer just half an hour after his plane touches down at Melbourne airport.

"We have noted that Australia will also receive and welcome the Dalai Lama and we are paying a lot of attention to Australia's attitude on this issue," Shen said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said he may also meet the Dalai Lama.