JOHANNESBURG: The Dalai Lama has canceled a trip to South Africa for a summit of Nobel peace laureates, an aide said Thursday, reporting that Pretoria had denied him a visa in a bid to avoid angering China.

The government “conveyed by phone to me they will not be able to grant the visa for the reason that it would disturb relations between China and South Africa,” Nangsa Choedon told AFP.

The apparent refusal for Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, which would be the third in five years, could provoke a boycott of the 14th annual peace summit, said a spokesman for South African laureate and former archbishop Desmond Tutu.

“I have heard that if the Dalai Lama is not allowed into the country, other invited guests have said they will not come,” Roger Friedman said. South Africa’s Foreign Ministry said that it had received written confirmation from the Dalai Lama’s office in India “indicating that His Holiness has canceled his planned visit to South Africa.”

Earlier Thursday, the government said it was still considering his visa application.