BRUSSELS - CHINA lacks the moral authority, including over the question of Tibet, to be a true superpower, the Dalai Lama said on Thursday during a European tour that has angered Beijing.

After addressing the EU parliament in Brussels, the Tibetan spiritual leader said China 'deserves to be a superpower' given its huge population and economic and military strength.

'Now one important factor is moral authority and that is lacking,' he told a press conference in Brussels.

'Because of its very poor record on human rights and religious freedom and freedom of expression and freedom of the press - too much censorship - the image of China in the field of moral authority is very, very poor,' he said.

'The sensible Chinese realise China should now pay more attention in this field in order to get more respect from the rest of the world,' the Nobel peace laureate said.

He cited the problems of Tibet, and separatist factions in the southwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang as well as Hong Kong and reunification with Taiwan as areas where such a moral authority should be displayed.

Earlier, the Dalai Lama addressed the European Parliament during his second day in the Belgian capital, where he was greeted by loud applause.

On Saturday he will meet in Poland with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.

That meeting has particularly angered Beijing and the Chinese government has taken the unprecedented decision to call off an EU summit which was due to be held in France this week. -- AFP