(Thumbnail image: tibet-incense.com)

“If the U.S. leader chooses to meet with the Dalai Lama at this time it will certainly threaten trust and cooperation between China and the U.S.” (CCTV)

Chinese officials have stated that a meeting with the controversial Tibetan leader would be seen as a sign of disrespect. China wants the U.S to remember that Tibet is a part of Chinese territory, not a separate country.

We're looking at international sources from China Central Television, FOX News, Al Jazeera English, CNN and China Daily to determine whether China's threats are idle or intense.

China warned that a meeting would not be in the US' best economic interest.  FOX News discusses how big that threat really is.

“We are now so over leveraged and so dependent on other countries showing up when we issue our Treasury auctions that it starts to affect foreign policy.”

“Could any of those issues anger China enough to stop loaning us money? Experts worry that we borrow so much we're extremely vulnerable to pressure if China decides to exercise it.”

But author Gordon Chang disagrees on Al Jazeera English.

“In 2008 more than 90% of China's overall trade surplus related to sales to the U.S. and in 2009 China's exports dependence in the U.S. actually increased.”

“And that's the reason why they don't actually don't try to use these trade weapons because they know it won't work and if it doesn't work then we're going to understand basically the fundamental nature of this relationship with China where the U.S. has much more power than China does.”

On CNN, Democratic pundit Donna Brazile said that giving in to China's demands would signal a sad day for the United States.

“You know, the day that we kow-tow or bow to any other foreign nation just because they own some of our debt, would be a terrible statement that we could make as Americans. I hope he meets with the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama is more than just a spritual leader, he is the leader of a movement,of a leader of a people, so I'm glad he plans to meet with the Dalai Lama.”

But in the state-run China Daily, an editorial says Mr. Obama will make himself look bad if he meets with the Dalai Lama.

“As the president of the world's only superpower, Obama is free to meet anybody at anytime on his own soil. But just don't paint this farce with a moral hue. We call that audacity of shame.”

So is the U.S. right in meeting with the Dalai Lama? Or are we disregarding the wishes of a partner too important to ignore?

Writers: Elizabeth Eberlin, Veronica Wells

Producer: Newsy Staff