US ambassador urges China to talk to the Dalai Lama

China should hold talks with Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad told Chinese officials during a trip to the Himalayan region where he criticised Beijing for interfering in religious freedom. Branstad visited Tibet last week, the first such trip by a US ambassador since 2015, amid escalating trade and diplomatic tension between the two countries. His visit followed the passing of a US law in December that requires the United States to deny visas to Chinese officials in charge of implementing policies that restrict access to Tibet for foreigners, legislation that was denounced by China. Branstad met Chinese government officials and Tibetan religious and cultural figures, and "raised our long-standing concerns about lack of consistent access" to Tibet, the US Embassy in Beijing said in an emailed statement on Saturday.