BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office held a press conference Tuesday morning to brief media on the latest talks between central government officials and private representatives of the Dalai Lama.

Zhu Weiqun, executive deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, talked about the meeting and answered reporters' questions at the press conference, which started at 10:00 a.m..

The Dalai Lama's private representatives were in China from Jan. 26 to 31, during which period Du Qinglin, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met with them, more than a year after the Dalai Lama side declared an end to contacts and talks following a meeting in November 2008. Zhu, UFWD Vice Minister Sita and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet regional People's Congress Nyima Cering held talks with them.

China rebuts Dalai Lama's claim as "legal representative" of Tibetans

"The Chinese government and the government of Tibet Autonomous Region under its leadership are the only representatives of Tibetans," Zhu said.

At the talks, the Dalai Lama's private representatives refused to "revise a single word" in the Memorandum for All Tibetans to Enjoy Genuine Autonomy which they presented at the previous talk, nor make any concession, Zhu said.

They insisted that the Dalai Lama is "a legal representative of broad Tibetans" and would like to talk with the central government about "Tibet issue" and "the welfare of 6 million Tibetans," he said.

The former local government of Tibet, which launched an armed rebellion on March 10 of 1959, had been dismissed on March 28, 1959.

"The so-called 'Tibet government-in-exile' composed of those who defected to India and gathered there absolutely violates China's laws," Zhu said.

The private representatives "have no legal status to discuss with us the affairs about Tibet Autonomous Region," Zhu said. "They are only the Dalai Lama's private representatives, so they can only talk about the prospect of the Dalai Lama, at most, the prospects of a small party around him."

The talks were suspended for more than a year after the meeting in November 2008.

"The major reason lies in the fact that they (the Dalai Lama side) openly declared to cease the contacts and talks with the Central authorities," Zhu said.

He suggested that the Dalai Lama side correct their mistakes rather than repeat the contents in the Memorandum, which the central government had rebutted at the previous talks, and use tricks to "explain" it.

Chinese central gov't says views "sharply divided" at talks with Dalai Lama envoys

Zhu told the press conference, "We have been accustomed to such a confrontation of viewpoints as views had been divided in previous talks."

But he said the talks "had some upside" as they let both sides know exactly their differences and how wide the differences were.

"It helps the Dalai Lama realize the position he has been in."

The central government wanted to "give the Dalai Lama a chance to correct his mistakes" by holding talks with his envoys, Zhu said.

However, he said, the talks were not without result, as the central government arranged trips for the envoys to visit central Hunan Province to better understand the country and the regional ethnic autonomy policy.

He said during the previous talks, Lodi Gyari had presented a "Memorandum from All Tibetans to Enjoy Genuine Autonomy," and obscure words were intentionally used in the memorandum in an attempt to explain "Greater Tibet" and "high degree of autonomy."

When the memorandum was rejected by the central government, Gyari was not pleased, saying he would not want new talks, Zhu said.

"But this time, Gyari says talks will continue in the future," he said.

Zhu said the Dalai Lama and his followers had several "favorite topics" since 2008. For example, the CPC would "retire;" the central government and the Chinese armed forces masterminded the March 14 Lhasa riot, but put the blame on the "Tibet government-in-exile;" southern Tibet and areas south of the McMahon Line belonged to India; and the Dalai Lama declared he was "a son of India."

"Can these act and words of the Dalai Lama improve relations with the central government?" Zhu said it was imperative that the Dalai Lama should "match word to deed."

Zhu said the improvement in relations with the Dalai Lama was China's internal affair so "outsiders have no right to voice any opinions."

With his frequent international activities to seek foreign support, the Dalai Lama "already plays a role of a troublemaker, which will make the Chinese people feel antipathy towards him and will create obstacles to contact and talks," Zhu said.

Zhu asked the Dalai Lama to restrain his words and deeds against the central government.

Since the previous talks in November 2008, the Dalai Lama's followers continued to openly collude with separatist forces to attack the central government and the CPC, he said.

"They tried hard to destroy the stability of society in China, slandering and damaging the image of China, disturbing the head of state visits to foreign countries and harming the safety of our nation's territory and sovereignty," he said. "The Dalai Lama even openly and repeatedly declared, 'No doubt, I am a son of India'."

The central government wanted the Dalai Lama to abandon his stand to split the country, cease separatist activities, openly admit that Tibet was an inalienable part of China and Taiwan was an inalienable part of China and the government of the People's Republic of China was the only legal government representing China, he said.

China warns U.S. of detrimental effect of meeting Dalai Lama

The U.S. side would violate international rules by making such a decision, said Zhu Weiqun. Such a move would be both irrational and harmful, he said. "If a country decides to do so, we will take necessary measures to help them realize this."

The Dalai Lama should realize that some foreign forces, which supported him, may not help him, but trap him, Zhu said.

At another press conference Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu also expressed "strong" opposition against any meeting between foreign politicians and the Dalai Lama.

Over 40 Chinese foreign missions harassed by Dalai Lama followers last year: official

Some 10,000 followers of the Dalai Lama staged harassing and wrecking activities in front of more than 40 Chinese foreign missions last year, said Sita, vice minister of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

China says Tibet on its own path "with or without Dalai Lama"

Tibet will keep to its own path with or without the Dalai Lama, Zhu Weiqun said when responding to questions on what will become of the region after the Dalai Lama's death." Chinese people, including Tibetans, will decide the future of Tibet".

Asked if the central government would find a solution to the Tibet issue more difficult after the Dalai Lama's death, Zhu replied, "It is not polite in China to talk about the possibility of a 75-year-old man passing away. We hope he can live a long life."

The central government hoped the Dalai Lama, 75, could settle the problems concerning his own prospects while still alive and would not pass away abroad, he said.

The central government wanted the Dalai Lama to abandon his stand to "split the motherland, cease separatist activities, openly admit that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of China," and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legal government representing China, he said.

"Since the armed rebellion in 1959, what did the Dalai Lama get except that he was pushed further and further away from the journey home?"

He suggested that his followers should ponder what they should do when the Dalai Lama departed this life.

Asked to comment on whether there would be an upsurge of violence and terrorist activities after the death of the Dalai Lama, Zhu said he believed most Tibetans living abroad loved peace and would like to contact their family and friends in Tibet and be engaged in Tibet's development.

It could not be ruled out that a few people would turn to violence, but history had showed that violence and terrorist activities would inevitably end in failure, he said.