HONG KONG — The decision by China to cancel, or at least postpone, a summit meeting with the European Union scheduled this week in Lyon, France, is unprecedented and shows the extent of its unhappiness with the Europeans in general and with Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, in particular.
The Chinese move came after France announced that Sarkozy would meet with the Dalai Lama in Poland on Saturday, when both men will take part in a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the award of the Nobel Prize to former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa.
The Tibetan spiritual leader is also scheduled to visit the Czech Republic and Belgium, to meet leaders in those European countries and to address the European Parliament.