By Xiao Xu, Read the original news here.

A letter purporting to be from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcoming members to a newly formed group promoting ties between Tibet and China is a hoax, the primer minister’s office said Tuesday.

The letter, circulated on social media, was dated April 17, days before the Saturday inauguration gala for the Tibetan Association of Canada. Online video of the gala shows that provincial Ontario Progressive Conservative Vincent Ke and Toronto city councillor Jim Karygiannis attended the event.

“I’m pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the 2019 Tibetan Association of Canada gala,” read the letter which claimed to come from Mr. Trudeau. The letter is on what looks like PMO letterhead.

It’s circulation on social media angered Tibetan groups in Canada. However, Amreet Kaur, a spokesman for the PMO, said no such letter was sent.

“A letter of greeting was not sent by the Prime Minister to the Tibetan Association of Canada. Our office is looking into this matter further,” Mr. Kaur said in an e-mail to The Globe and Mail.

Chinese-language media reported on the weekend meeting of the group at a restaurant in Scarborough.

Mr. Ke could not be reached for comment. Mr. Karygiannis posted photos of himself at the gala to his Twitter feed but did not comment on the association.

Members of the Tibetan community in Canada were horrified at thoughts the prime minister would offer his support to the group. Five Tibetan groups wrote a letter to the PMO to express their concern.

“We are appalled that a fake letter of support from the Prime Minister of Canada is being used to mislead Canadians,” said the letter.

“The strategy of this group, strongly supported by the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government, seems to be to divide the Tibetan community in Canada.”