U.S.'s Pelosi voiced support for Dalai Lama during China visit

U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) arrives for a bilateral meeting as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) waits to greet other guests at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, China November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Schiefelbein/Pool

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, enjoys strong support in the United States, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told Chinese officials during a visit this week to the Himalayan region, while expressing concern about human rights there.

Pelosi, a long-time critic of China's human rights record, was leading a senior U.S. Congressional delegation on a rare visit to Tibet, which China has ruled with an iron fist since 1950, when it was "peacefully liberated" by communist forces.