BEIJING -- Some Chinese citizens, angry over foreign criticism of their country's policies in Tibet, are calling for boycotts of at least two European retailers for purportedly supporting the Dalai Lama, the latest sign of growing tension between China and the West ahead of the Olympics.

Internet users in China -- it is unclear how many -- have been using instant-messaging services, blogs and bulletin boards to spread a call for Chinese consumers at home and abroad to boycott French supermarket operator Carrefour SA and cosmetics retailer the Body Shop, owned by L'Oréal SA.

Those advocating the boycott argue that a major Carrefour shareholder has contributed funds to the Dalai Lama, regarded by many Tibetans as their spiritual leader. And Chinese critics are targeting the Body Shop because they say its Australian operation helped promote a tour of the Dalai Lama to that country in June.

Over the weekend, Chinese leaders again defended their actions against the sometimes-violent Tibetan protestors and lashed out at critics overseas. China's president, Hu Jintao, told visiting Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that "the Tibet problem is entirely an internal issue of China," adding that "no government will sit idle for such crimes." The government also said it arrested nine Tibetan Buddhist monks in connection with an alleged bomb attack on a government building.

Scott Kronick, president of WPP Group PLC's Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide China, says he isn't surprised that the Chinese have reacted so strongly to criticisms and now are using the Web to fight back. The Internet has been "the medium by which they have been very active in expressing their views" and their patriotism, he says. In past weeks, overseas Chinese also have been organizing pro-China marches and announcing them online, and more such campaigns may be expected as long as anti-China sentiment persists.