China yesterday expressed resolute opposition to the meeting between the Dalai Lama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Poland planned for next month.

Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU's six-month-rotating presidency, will meet the Dalai Lama on December 6 while attending activities to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to former Polish President Lech Walesa.

"We oppose firmly the Dalai Lama's secessionist activities in any country under any identity, and we are also firmly against any foreign leader's contacts with the Dalai Lama in any form," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang in a press release.

Qin said Sino-French and Sino-European ties were maintaining a momentum of improvement and development. The hard-earned relations should be cherished with doubled effort, he said.

He urged the French side to adhere to the one-China policy, pay attention to China's great concern and prudently handle Tibet-related issues with an eye to the overall situation, so as to promote the healthy and stable development of Sino-French and Sino-European ties.

Relations between France and China nose-dived in the wake of chaotic protests by Tibet independence activists during the Olympic torch's passage through Paris in April. Angry Chinese protested outside the French Embassy and Chinese branches of French retailer Carrefour.

Sarkozy deflated tensions by writing a letter to a handicapped Chinese fencer who defended the torch from a violent protester.