BEIJING, Sept 17 (Reuter) - China expressed its anger on Tuesday over the visit to Australia by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

"With regard to the Australian side... allowing the Dalai Lama to visit and arranging meetings with senior government officials, we express deep regret and strong dissatisfaction," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said by telephone.

"The Chinese side reserves the right to make further response depending on the development of the situation," the spokesman added.

China routinely opposes all overseas tours by the Dalai Lama, who has been in exile since an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959, and who won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize for his peaceful campaign for Tibetan autonomy.

The Dalai Lama, in Australia for a two-week visit, urged Canberra on Monday to press China into talks over the future of his restive Himalayan homeland.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer met the Dalai Lama on his arrival in Sydney on Saturday night, although Downer said the talks were unofficial.

Prime Minister John Howard, who returns from an overseas trip toward the end of the Dalai Lama's visit, was also expected to hold private talks with the Tibetan leader despite warnings from Beijing against any official contacts.

Beijing dismisses the Dalai Lama as a political activist who is trying to split China. Last week it said his recent visit to New Zealand would damage relations with Wellington.

China maintains it has ruled Tibet for centuries. But many Tibetans dispute this, and the region has been rocked by periodic outbursts of separatist violence.