Wednesday, April 23 1997; Page A18

The Washington Post

Clinton Plans `Drop-By' Visit With Dalai Lama at White House President Clinton plans to meet with the Dalai Lama today despite China's strong objections, White House officials said yesterday.

The officials said the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled leader, will meet with Vice President Gore at his White House offices and Clinton will make a "drop-by visit."

The White House uses the drop-by technique as a diplomatic gambit that allows the president to show support for a controversial visitor while saving some face for the foreign government that objects to the visit.

Clinton used it just last week when Hong Kong pro-democracy leader Martin Lee paid a call in another event that stirred Beijing's wrath, and he has met this way before with the Dalai Lama, whom China considers politically provocative.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Cui Tiankai voiced his government's objections to any meeting between top U.S. officials and the man China claims is not a religious leader but a political activist trying to divide the country. "We resolutely oppose any meetings between U.S. leaders and the Dalai Lama," he said.

Beijing last year issued a warning that countries whose leaders meet with the Dalai Lama would suffer the consequences in its trade and business ties with China.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen is due in the United States Sunday and will meet with Clinton. His talks may include preparations for a summit in Washington in the fall between Clinton and Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

The Dalai Lama, who won the 1989 Nobel Prize for peace for his campaign for Tibetan autonomy, has been in exile since an abortive 1959 uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. The Dalai Lama last visited Washington in September 1995. Clinton met with him briefly in Gore's office then too.