And, given his support for Tibetan self-rule (Chinese officials angrily call him a "splittist"), his visit to a sensitive border area is being viewed as a deliberate provocation.

Beijing denounces the Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule of Tibet, as a dangerous 'splittist', or separatist, a charge he denies.

A scheduled meeting between BJP president Amit Shah and the Dalai Lama on May 2 in Dharamshala was cancelled by the BJP leader at the last minute because the PM did not want the Chinese to be upset with the senior BJP leadership meeting the Tibetan spiritual leader they deem to be " splittist," BJP sources confirmed.

Despite his global renown, Dalai Lama is viewed by Beijing's communist leadership as a dangerous "splittist" who espouses violence.

Documents show he was suspended from the party in 1974 for pursuing "conspiratorial and splittist activities".

Balakrishnan, who was known as Comrade Bala, was a former member of the national executive committee of the Communist Party of England (Marxist-Leninist) but documents show he was suspended from the party in 1974 for pursuing "conspiratorial and splittist activities".

Tsering's body was cremated Sunday against his family's will after the local police chief accused Tsering of having had close ties with the "splittist Dalai group."

''China is always against any country that provides a stage for the Dalai Lama's anti-China splittist activities,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular press briefing.

China labels the organization as "splittist" and accuses it of being linked to terrorist groups with aims in Xinjiang, while the WUC maintains it is dedicated to promoting peaceful, non-violent, and democratic means to determine the political future of East Turkistan.

But Beijing insists that the Dalai Lama is a "splittist" and has sought to dent his popularity around the world.

He ruled a splittist government on the south China coast, and many of his revenues were gained from seaborne commerce.