Beijing will never make concessions on independence for Tibet, a senior Chinese official said on Monday at a meeting with envoys of the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Envoys of the Dalai Lama, 74, arrived in Beijing last Tuesday for the ninth set of negotiations which have so far brought no results.

The head the United Front Work Department, the Chinese Communist Party's department that officially deals with ethnic policy, Du Qinglin, said issues concerning China's territory and sovereignty were non-negotiable and no concessions would be made on them, Xinhua reported.

However, the Chinese official hinted that the door for talks with the Tibetan leader was still open.

The Dalai Lama has repeatedly said he seeks real autonomy for Tibet rather than independence from China.

BEIJING, February 1 (RIA Novosti)