NEW DELHI: A group of senior US lawmakers including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi met on Wednesday with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-inexile in India, sparking heavy criticism from China.

The bipartisan group of US lawmakers, led by Congressman Michael McCaul and Pelosi, visited the 88-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader at his home base in the northern Indian hill-town of Dharamsala.

China, which maintains Tibet is part of its territory, denounced `external interference` and said that matters in the Himalayan territory were `purely China`s domestic affairs.` Pelosi told crowds of Tibetans it was an `honour` to have met with the Dalai Lama, in a speech carried by the government-in-exile`s Tibet TV.

`It is truly a blessing`, she said. The visit follows the passage of a bill by the US Congress that seeks toencourage China to hold talks with Tibetan leaders, frozen since 2010, and also as Washington seeks to ease tensions with Beijing.

`This bill is a message to the Chinese government, that we have clarity in our thinking and understanding in the issue of the freedom of Tibet`, she said. `It says to the Chinese government: `Things have changed now, get ready for that`, she added.

Pelosi said the bill was `soon to be signed` by US President Joe Biden.

Ahead of the visit, China`s embassy in New Delhi criticised the meeting, saying the Dalai Lama was `not a pure religious figure, but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion`.

Many exiled Tibetans fear Beijing will name a rival successor to the Dalai Lama, bolstering control over a land it poured troops into in 1950.-APF