China's officially atheist ruling Communist party views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous "separatist" campaigning for Tibetan independence and consistently condemns foreign governments who welcome him. The Dalai Lama, in turn, says he is seeking more autonomy for Tibet rather than outright independence. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang called for Botswana to "earnestly respect" China's core interests of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and "make the right decision" on Tibet-related issues. "China will not interfere in other countries' internal affairs, and we will not accept that other countries do things that would harm the core interests of China," he told a regular press briefing. China is a key investor across Africa and the continent's largest trade partner and in Botswana it has helped build coal-fired power plants, road networks, bridges and schools.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 26, 2017 12:00 UTC