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"We call on the Chinese government to exercise restraint in dealing with these protests, and we strongly urge all sides to refrain from violence," Rice said in a statement.

Chinese authorities deployed troops and tanks in the regional capital Lhasa Saturday, demanding that Tibetan rioters surrender to police or face more serious punishment for the violence that followed escalating pro-independence demonstrations.

Rice called on China to engage in dialogue with Tibet, to release monks and other imprisoned protestors and to respect the "fundamental and universally recognized right" to peaceful demonstrations.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur