If you were to draw connections between the Dalai Lama, the Chinese government and Obama, what kind of chart would you draw? What connections would you see? Throw in Abraham Lincoln and take into account the history of race in the United States and how would you draw the picture?

This past week Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said that Obama should be sympathetic to the Chinese opposition to the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence, especially as a black president who tips his hat to Abraham Lincoln and the importance of abolition in both the history of America and Obama’s own opportunities.

That wouldn’t have been my first connection. But let’s see Qin’s point:

In his view, Tibetan society is hierarchical and the equivalent of an antiquated social system that functions like slavery, with the Dalai Lama at the top. He also views Tibet as part of China, and the calls by Tibet for independence as, in fact, calls for secession. So, in his view Tibet is similar to the Confederacy during the Civil War, attempting to secede from the greater country to practice an evil way of life.

"He is a black president, and he understands the slavery abolition movement and Lincoln's major significance for that movement. Lincoln played an incomparable role in protecting the national unity and territorial integrity of the United States,” said Qin.

Interesting take.

The Dalai Lama’s website describes the first of his three main commitments in life this way: “Firstly, on the level of a human being, His Holiness first commitment is the promotion of human values such as compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and self-discipline.”

Now, I didn’t research the commitments of the Chinese government, but my understanding of their goals and activities is not that their first, top priorities are compassion, forgiveness and tolerance- but then, I have grown up with the American media, so I always have to question embedded assumptions about the world.

My take up to this point was that China and Tibet have opposing claims as to Tibet’s sovreignity- China says Tibet is part of China and Tibet says leave us alone. And there is frequently documented and very much still happening violence perpetrated by China toward Tibetan activists and monks. I pretty much view Tibet as the oppressed and China as the oppressor- outlawing the Dalai Lama and forbidding people to talk to him- oh, did I talk about Qin’s comments around Obama meeting with the Dalai Lama?

Here you go:

"We must treasure the positive circumstances and opportunities for China-U.S. relations. In particular, both sides must respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and Tibetan issues are among China's core interests and major concerns."

Translation: China cites Tibet as a core concern and Obama, if you want to keep things going well between us, and we know you do, you better not go meet with that Lama guy. We would be very upset with you.

I didn’t expect to ever hear China’s government compared to Lincoln or the Dalai Lama compared to, say, Robert E. Lee, but now it’s out there- and leaves Obama in one of the more precarious positions I have ever heard of.