SYDNEY, Sept. 25, 1996 (Kyodo) -- The relationship between Australia and China will survive despite Chinese threats over Prime Minister John Howard's scheduled meeting with the Dalai Lama, Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister Tim Fischer said Wednesday.

Howard is scheduled to meet the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Thursday.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang warned Tuesday that the meeting would cast a shadow over Sino-Australian relations, and ''unavoidably influence the political, economic and trade relationship between the two countries.''

Australian companies in China are reportedly favored targets for Chinese retaliation over Howard's meeting, but Fischer said he hoped that would not be the case.

''I believe the size, the very volume of the business relationship, the political relationship, is so large today that no one circumstance should be allowed to derail it,'' he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Beijing has condemned the Dalai Lama as a pro-independence crusader out to split China.

''The Australian government and the Australian parliament have not in any way, shape or form raised the sovereignty issue,'' Fischer said. ''We are much committed to a one-China policy in respect of the autonomous region of Tibet.''

Howard has said he is meeting the Dalai Lama only in the Tibetan monk's capacity as a religious leader, but it remains to be seen if China will accept that, Fischer said.

''The Australian government would urge a focus on all that is positive on both sides of the relationship between Australia and China,'' he said.

''I accept that these are matters which I hope will not derail the great common purpose that exists in building our business and diplomatic links between Australia and China.''

Fischer said he had no plans to meet the Dalai Lama, who is on a two-week visit to Australia, although Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had a private meeting with him when he first arrived.

Opposition leader Kim Beazley has also met with him, as did former Prime Minister Paul Keating when the exiled Tibetan leader was last in Australia in 1992.