The cancellation by Beijing of the EU-China summit because of Nicolas Sarkozy's forthcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama continues to astonish. First of all it is politically absurd. It means that the president of the European Council will no longer be able to meet who he/she wants. Please note, the Dalai Lama is not a terrorist (he has always condemned all violence) nor a “separatist” (he has said that he does not want the separation of Tibet from China, but would like to improve Tibetan autonomy). At any rate, the EU is clearly free to decide those with whom it wants to have contact, even those whose ideas it may not share. To this absurdity is added intellectual disappointment. For the Western world, China has always been an example of wisdom and balance. The memory of the welcome for Marco Polo and, later, the Jesuits, Chinese literature and art, silk and porcelain are for the average European symbols of an incomparable civilisation. I will not, like Daniel Cohn-Bendit, say that “the Chinese are mad”, nor, like Graham Watson, that “intimidation tactics will not work in Europe”, but I will simply ask a question: what would the Chinese sages of ancient times have made of the decision to cancel a meeting, the aim of which was to enhance cooperation and understanding between their country and Europe? Does China want, once again, to deny its traditions of wisdom? (F.R.)