The Dalai Lama has dismissed a protest by China's Communist rulers as "quite routine" at the start of a 10-day trip to the UK – while the comedian Russell Brand, who will appear with him on Saturday at Manchester Arena, promised he would behave.

China regards Tibet's spiritual leader as an enemy of the state and threatened to withdraw its Olympic athletes from their training camp in Leeds because of his visit to the city on Friday.

But the Buddhist leader told a packed press conference in Manchester city centre: "That always happens. It's almost like a routine." He added, however, that if the comments by the Chinese state had inconvenienced anyone, "then I feel sorry".

Earlier this week it was claimed that Chinese officials had requested that Leeds city council cancel the Yorkshire International Business Convention. The event is going ahead on Friday afternoon but the council has stressed it is not involved with its organisation.

Meanwhile, at the Lowry, the first five-star hotel in Manchester, the Dalai Lama told the group of assembled journalists and photographers: "You media people should educate people, but not every day." The top floor of the hotel, including the presidential suite, has been put aside for the leader and his entourage.

He added: "Another point, especially for media people, [you] should have long noses, like elephant noses, and smell everywhere like dogs."

An aide later said the Dalai Lama was not making a specific reference to the Leveson inquiry into press standards. Clad in his trademark robes, he went on to say: "People should know what … is really happening. So media people should be investigating what is the reality. And you should be very honest. You must be objective and unbiased."

According to the Office of Tibet, the Dalai Lama is in Britain to "share his beliefs of non-violence, dialogue and compassion, particularly with the young people of this country".

This weekend, the 76-year-old, whose name is Tenzin Gyatso, will address younger audiences at the Manchester Arena in an unlikely double act with Brand. The comedian, well known for his short marriage to the singer Katy Perry, asked to be involved in the event. The Dalai Lama knows of Brand because of his public struggles with addiction and the fact that he has drawn on meditation for support.

Brand said: "I've made mistakes in the past, I won't lie to you, but this one I'm on my game. I'm going to behave. He's a holy man. It's not pretend authority, it's proper authority of God.

"I'm going to improvise and I am going to be playing for laughs, but I've got to be entirely respectful of His Holiness and that's going to be no problem because I'll tell you why, genuine respect."

After a packed schedule in Manchester, the Dalai Lama, who is a Nobel peace prize winner, will deliver talks at the Royal Albert Hall in London and in Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness.

Asked why he had chosen Manchester to begin his UK tour, the Dalai Lama joked that "these things are cheaper [here]". He last visited Manchester in July 1996 when he addressed a large crowd in a final public event at the Free Trade Hall.

Tickets for Saturday's public talk are £25 for over-25s.