WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama personally welcomed the Dalai Lama to the White House on Thursday and lauded his goals for the Tibetan people, but he kept their get-together off-camera and low-key in an attempt to avoid inflaming tensions with China.

At the risk of angering Beijing, Obama did tell the exiled spiritual leader that he backs the preservation of Tibet's culture and supports human rights for its people. He also gave encouragement to the Dalai Lama's request for talks with the Chinese government

Meetings between the Dalai Lama and U.S. presidents became standard fare under former President George H.W. Bush nearly 20 years ago. But the choreography is always delicate and closely watched because of China's sensitivity.

Revered in much of the world, the Dalai Lama is seen by Beijing as a separatist seeking to overthrow Chinese rule of Tibet. Though he says that is untrue, China regards any official foreign leader's contact with the Buddhist monk as an infringement on its sovereignty over the mountainous region and as a particularly unwelcome snub. China had urged Obama not to meet with the Dalai Lama.

China is a rising global rival for the U.S. and a hoped-for partner. So concern about reprisals, in the form of reduced cooperation with Washington or other punitive steps, has led American presidents, including Obama, to tread carefully.

In Beijing, Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai summoned U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman to lodge a protest over Thursday's meeting in the White House Map Room, the ministry said in a statement posted on its Web site.

"The behavior of the U.S. side seriously interferes in China's internal politics and seriously hurts the national feelings of the Chinese people," the statement said, quoting spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.

There was no welcome fanfare on Thursday, nor a public appearance with the president. The White House released only a single official picture, rather than allow independent photographers and reporters to see the two men together. An official photograph was also the only release after the monk met later with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. This from a president who promised - and in some other ways has delivered - unprecedented transparency in his White House.

The Dalai Lama did meet with reporters outside the White House, playfully tossing a bit of snow at them and declaring himself "very happy" with the visit, and had a short news conference at his hotel.

There, he chided China for what he called its "childish" and "limited" approach to Tibetan efforts for greater rights. He said he expected a negative Chinese reaction to his meeting with Obama.

George H.W. Bush allowed no photos of his 1991 talks with the Dalai Lama. Bill Clinton avoided formal sessions altogether, favoring drop-bys into the Dalai Lama's other meetings.