The White House is standing firm on United States President Barack Obama's plans to meet with the Dalai Lama. Beijing has reacted to the plans by saying it "resolutely opposes" the Dalai Lama's visit to the US and any of his meeting with US leaders.

Tibet's spiritual leader is due in the US for a 10-day trip later this month but no date has been set for a meeting in Washington as yet. Last October, President Obama avoided meeting the Dalai Lama when he visited Washington, not wanting to strain relations with Beijing ahead of his own visit to China a month later.

A top Chinese official said a meeting between the US president and the Dalai Lama would "seriously undermine the political foundation of Sino-US relations". Relations between the two countries have already been strained by trade disputes, US arms sales to Taiwan and a row over internet censorship. Earlier, Beijing threatened to punish US companies over the Taiwan arms package.

China, which took over Tibet in 1950, considers the Dalai Lama a separatist and condemns foreign leaders who receive him. Tibet's spiritual leader has been living in India since 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule.

President Obama insists on meeting with Tibet's Dalai Lama