( Timesonline ) - President Bush will this week become the first sitting US President to appear publicly with the Dalai Lama, a move that has alarmed China at a time of increased tensions between Tibetan monks and Beijing.
Mr Bush will also play host to Tibet's exiled spiritual leader at the White House tomorrow before attending a ceremony on Wednesday where the Dalai Lama will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the US Congress's highest civilian honour .
In their two previous meetings, Mr Bush - like other presidents - met the Dalai Lama in private to avoid offending China, which accuses him of being a separatist intent on winning Tibetan independence from Beijing.