A Meeting Between Equals

Recognizing the power of the Dalai Lama, the Chinese Qing emperor invited him to visit Beijing, which he did in 1652. The newly united Tibet was a rising power in Central Asia, and it is clear that this was a meeting between equals, despite later Chinese interpretations of the event. The Chinese emperor even wished to travel to the border to greet the Dalai Lama, despite standard imperial protocol, which does not admit even the possibility of China having equal diplomatic status with any other country.

Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, John Powers