China says Dalai Lama must 'thoroughly correct' his political views

FILE PHOTO: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrives for his visit to the Tibet Institute Rikon in Rikon, Switzerland September 21, 2018. REUTERS/ Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Dalai Lama must "thoroughly correct" his political views as a condition for contact with China's central government to resume, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Formal talks between China and the Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, and his representatives have stalled since 2010.

"With regard to contact and negotiations between the central government of China and the 14th Dalai Lama, our policy has been consistent and clear," said Lin Jian, a spokesman at China's foreign ministry.

"The key is that the 14th Dalai Lama must fundamentally reflect on and thoroughly correct his political views," Lin said at a regular ministry news conference.

(Reporting by Liz Lee; writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)