"The move of the United States is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs, hurts the feelings of the Chinese people and has gravely undermined relations between China and the United States," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters.

He was reacting to the meeting between US President George W Bush and the Dalai Lama as well as the awarding of the Congressional Golden Medal to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

China, which considers the Dalai Lama a separatist, had already denounced the award as a "farce" that would hurt relations between Beijing and Washington.

The spokesman also asked the US to take concrete steps to protect Sino-US relations.

Liu said Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi summoned US Ambassador to Beijing, Clark Randit and lodged a "solemn protest" for disregarding repeated Chinese requests not to honour the Dalai and prevent senior US leaders from meeting him.

The Dalai Lama, 72, who has lived in exile in India since fleeing his predominantly Buddhist homeland in 1959, received the US Congressional Gold Medal from President George W. Bush on Wednesday. Prior to that Bush met the Dalai, angering China.