BEIJING, April 20 (AFP) - China Sunday renewed its attacks on exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, accusing him of betraying his religion by turning it into a political machine.

"By using Tibetan Buddhism as a political tool to incite separatism ... he has done many evils to betray the religion's goals as well as Buddhist doctrine," a commentary issued by the official Xinhua news agency said.

Scriptures written by the Dalai Lama and smuggled into Tibet contained seditious propaganda against Beijing, it said.

As a result, "normal religious activities in some monasteries have been seriously affected, and the religious atmosphere has been deteriorating," the commentary said.

In monasteries supporting the spiritual leader's separatist agenda, little attention is paid to monks' religious attainment and "illegal and decadent activities are rampant," it added.

China seized control of Tibet in 1951, and eight years later the Dalai Lama fled to India after a failed anti-Chinese uprising.

His government-in-exile is not recognised by any country, but the peaceful campaign for Tibetan self-determination he has led has received international recognition, including a Nobel Peace Prize.

Tensions have been mounting between the Dalai Lama's followers and Chinese authorities in Tibet since 1995, when Beijing and the spiritual leader made clashing selections for the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest figure.

Citing imperial Chinese laws dating back to 1793, the commentary said Beijing's rulers must have final approval of such reincarnation selections.

By independently declaring a Panchen Lama selection, "he ignored the religious ritual and historical norms, actuated by his political plot of splitting the motherland and creating the 'independence of Tibet,'" it said.

The current Dalai Lama himself was selected with China's approval, it added.

The Nobel laureate is due to visit Washington from Monday through Thursday, but the White House has yet to confirm whether US President Bill Clinton will grant him a meeting.

Though the US has traditionally been sympathetic to the Dalai Lama's message, such a meeting would anger China at a time when Sino-US ties are steadily becoming more firm.