'Not up for discussion'

Beijing yesterday threw cold water on the possibility of re-launching talks with the Dalai Lama, saying greater autonomy for Tibet was "not up for discussion" and accusing the spiritual leader of backing "ethnic cleansing".

The statement comes months after the exiled spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner expressed optimism that Chinese President Xi Jinping may be open to restarting dialogue about the region.

In a nearly 18,000-word white paper, the Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, declared that the Dalai Lama must focus on seeking "forgiveness" from the Chinese government.

The ruling Communist Party held nine rounds of dialogue with the Dalai Lama's envoys from 2002 to 2010 but the process produced no visible results.