Obama meets Dalai Lama behind closed doors

US President Barack Obama hosted the Dalai Lama at the White House Wednesday - a now familiar ritual that took place off-camera and out of the public eye to avoid irking China.

Obama carried out what has become a political rite in Washington, spiriting the exiled Tibetan religious leader into the White House through the back door - and prompting the usual Chinese de-nun-ciations.

Since coming to office, Obama has now hosted the Dalai Lama four times. Each time, Obama has tried to limit the fallout by holding the meeting behind closed doors.

This latest confab took place in the Map Room, not the Oval Office, and the press was not invited - meaning images of the two Nobel peace laureates would not be flashed around the world.