Special envoys of the Dalai Lama travelled to China Tuesday for a meeting with Chinese government officials, the first since a November 2008 round of talks ended in mutual recrimination, DPA reported.
The US administration welcomed the move, and "hopes this meeting will produce positive results and provide a foundation for future discussions to resolve outstanding issues," the State Department said.
The precise venue for the talks, scheduled to last several days, was still undecided Tuesday. The arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader's representatives was picked up by international news agencies but not mentioned in Chinese state media.
Previous talks ended when Beijing rejected demands by Tibetan delegates Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen for wide-ranging autonomy.