Feb. 2 – A senior Chinese official told the Dalai Lama’s envoys that China’s sovereignty over Tibet was inviolable with “no room for discussion, no room for compromise” on territorial issues.

The head of a government department in charge of the talks, Du Qinglin’s statement indicates that Beijing remains unwavering on its stance on Tibet after talks with the Dalai Lama’s envoys in Beijing over the weekend. In 2008, the envoys proposed a plan that sought to grant Tibetans greater autonomy under the Chinese constitution.

Beijing did not approve the proposal adding that Tibet would not be allowed the same kind of autonomy granted to Hong Kong and Macau reports the Associated Press. The Tibetan government-in-exile said it is still pushing for its proposal for meaningful autonomy for Tibet.

Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Region have been sites of violent ethnic unrest in China. Prior to the 2008 Olympics, deadly riots broke out in Tibetan capital, Lhasa killing 22 people.