Beijing has made a complaint to the US over the decision to present the US Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, Reuters reported. The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Communist rule in Tibet, is seen by Beijing as a "separatist." "The Chinese government strongly opposes the US Congress giving the Dalai Lama so-called award," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao. He also inferred that the US was using the Dalai Lama to interfere in China's internal affairs. It was confirmed last month that US President George W. Bush will attend the presentation ceremony at the US Capitol on October 17. China has upped the pressure on the Dalai Lama in recent weeks. State media has accused him of supporting "evil cults" such as banned spiritual group Falun Gong and claimed that he killed people in the 1950s uprising, in violation of Buddhist principles.