“China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to the decision, said the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu. “This act of crude interference in China’s domestic affairs has seriously damaged the Sino-French relationship, and in particular the existing friendly ties between Paris and Beijing.”

Jiang added that making the Dalai Lama “an ‘honorary citizen of Paris’ now can only be considered as another grave provocation of 1.3 billion Chinese people, including the people of Tibet, and it will further encourage the arrogance of the Dalai and Tibet independence elements.”

The attention Beijing is attributing to the matter will no doubt please the recently re-elected mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, who is trying hard to become the next leader of the French Socialist Party, which is in disarray since having lost the presidency last May to Nicolas Sarkozy and his Union for a Popular Movement, or UMP, conservative party.