China today slammed President Barack Obama for meeting the Dalai Lama, saying this was an act that had "grossly interfered in China's internal affairs" and damaged Chinese-American relations. It demanded that the US remedy the situation.

The strident statement from China's Foreign Ministry came hours after Mr Obama met with the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate in Washington.

China had already called on the United States to stop the  meeting, warning it could hurt relations between the two countries.

But after the White House meeting went ahead, China issued a second, hardened statement and said the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in the US had lodged objections with US representatives in Beijing and Washington.

"Such an act has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and damaged Sino-American relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in the statement.

"We demand the US side seriously consider China's stance, immediately adopt measures to wipe out the baneful impact, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and cease to connive and support anti-China separatist forces that seek 'Tibetan independence'," Mr Ma said.

China considers the Dalai Lama a separatist intent on ending Chinese rule over Tibet.

The Nobel laureate has repeatedly denied the accusations and says he seeks only a high level of autonomy for Tibet.