BEIJING, Sept. 12, 1996 (Kyodo) -- China criticized New Zealand and Australia Thursday over visits to those countries by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the DalaiLama.

''We have not only noted the recent reception by New Zealand leaders of the Dalai Lama, but also the discussions they carried out with him. This is a clear interference in China's internal affairs and will certainly influence China's relations with New Zealand,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang said.

The Dalai Lama, who is on a five-day visit to New Zealand, met Prime Minister Jim Bolger and Foreign Minister Don McKinnon, despite Beijing's warning that such meetings would jeopardize relations.

Shen said the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner, who fled Tibet in 1959 after an unsuccessful Tibetan uprising against Chinese invaders, was not a religious leader but a political exile whose aim was to split China.

China invaded and occupied Tibet in 1950. Beijing bases its claims to sovereignty over Tibet on historical relations in China's feudal past.

Shen said China is also aware of plans by Australian government officials to meet with the Dalai Lama on an upcoming trip and is paying close attention to the situation.

''Whether it is the New Zealand government or the Australian government, we hope that they should respect the position and viewpoint of the Chinese governmenton this question,'' Shen said.