China will never tolerate any attempts at "Tibet independence", or waver "in the slightest" in safeguarding national unity and territorial integrity, a senior official has said.

"Tibet independence is out of question," said Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) of the CPC Central Committee, after meeting with two representatives of the Dalai Lama recently.

"Semi-independence or independence in any disguised form will not be tolerated either," Du reportedly told the two envoys, Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, Xinhua said yesterday.