By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, June 21: The Chinese foreign ministry announced on Thursday that the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, must “thoroughly correct” his political views for contact with China’s central government to resume. Formal talks between China and the Dalai Lama and his representatives have been stalled since 2010.
Lin Jian, a spokesman at China’s foreign ministry, stated, “With regard to contact and negotiations between the central government of China and the 14th Dalai Lama, our policy has been consistent and clear. The key is that the 14th Dalai Lama must fundamentally reflect on and thoroughly correct his political views.”
Beijing has rejected the Resolve Tibet Act, asserting that Tibet is part of China and does not tolerate interference from external forces. Lin asserted, “We urge the United States to fully recognise the importance and sensitivity of Tibet-related issues and earnestly respect China’s core interests. We should abide by our commitment on the issue of obstacles, refrain from any form of contact with the Dalai clique, and stop sending wrong messages to the outside world.”
These remarks came a day after a group of U.S. lawmakers led by House of Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul met the Dalai Lama and visited the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala, India. The lawmakers said they would not allow China to influence the choice of his successor and indicated that Washington would pressure Beijing to hold talks with Tibetan leaders. These talks have been stalled since 2010, and the U.S. lawmakers presented Dalai Lama with a copy of the bill that recently passed in both the U.S. Congress and the Senate, which they said President Joe Biden would sign soon.
Although Washington recognises Tibet as a part of China, the bill appears to question that position, and any change would be a major shock to Beijing, analysts say. The president of the Central Tibetan Administration in his speech during the felicitation event in Dharamshala on June 20, “We also tell governments that on the one hand, they keep repeating the statement that Tibet is part of PRC, on the other hand, they say we support negotiations between the representatives of the Dalai Lama with Chinese Government. And I say that you are contradicting yourself. You are removing the very ground for negotiations. Where the whole international community keeps repeating the statement at the behest of the Chinese government that Tibet is part of the PRC then where is the reason for China to come and talk to us. …….. we tell the international community why do you think the Chinese government is asking every country to say that Tibet is part of the PRC, why not other regions or other nationalities within China. That is because the Chinese government knows that there is no legitimacy of their rule in Tibet and they are trying to seek legitimacy from the international community”.
The Dalai Lama stepped down in 2011 as the political leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile, which Beijing does not recognise and views as a separatist entity. However, China continues to oppose any interaction it has with officials from other countries, including former U.S. presidents, even though the Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, but rather genuine autonomy under the framework of the Chinese constitution.
One Response
There is no way the Dalai Lama will change his mind. Unlike the Shinas who are sneaky and always says something to mean something else, The Dalai Lama stated the facts and made his demand clear! The fact is Shina has no right whatsoever in Tibet! It is illegally occupying a country who has a history of independence for three thousand years! Using the law of jungle that might is right, communist Shina has illegally occupied Tibet by military force in the same way it has occupied West Phillipine Sea! The Dalai Lama has demanded genuine autonomy for all Tibetan inhabited areas which is historically known as the three provinces of Tibet. In order to clarify the U-Mey Lam, the CTA even gave a written draft which shows for those who believe in U-Mey Lam sincerity while those who don’t agree, sees it as an immature exercise. In any given negotiation, you keep your demands close to your chest and don’t divulge in order to get maximum benefit during the negotiation. However, the CTA handed over everything and they have nothing else except to insist on the written draft given to communist Shina. It shows the inexperience and immaturity of Tibetan politicians who are like school boys who are only willing to show their toys to anyone who wishes to see them! The Chinese on the other side have never given a single word of written statement including Gyalo Thondup’s claim that Deng told him “anything except independence can be discussed”. The Chinese on their part rejected having ever said it by Deng who had by then long gone. The Tibetans cannot deny or back track on their statement because it is a written statement! In future, if hypothetically, the Tibetan independence gain momentum, the Chinese will use the CTA statement to counter the Independence Movement’s demand! The Resolve Tibet Act is in fact for the first time acknowledging the status of Tibet which was one of the point of the Dalai Lama’s five point peace plain announced in the US Congress. It states,”CHINA’S AGGRESSION, CONDEMNED BY VIRTUALLY ALL NATIONS OF THE FREE WORLD, WAS A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. AS CHINA’S MILITARY OCCUPATION OF TIBET CONTINUES, THE WORLD SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THOUGH TIBETANS HAVE LOST THEIR FREEDOM, UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW TIBET TODAY IS STILL AN INDEPENDENT STATE UNDER ILLEGAL OCCUPATION”. This is the TRUE STATUS OF TIBET and the Resolve Tibet Act is acting upon the Dalai Lama’s Statement on the TRUE STATUS of TIBET. Communist Shina have doubts about their hold on Tibet. It is for this reason, they peddle statements like Tibet being “core issue” and bristling at any one who talks about Tibet, bans books on Tibet critical of the regimes atrocities, protests any one including Lady Gaga seeing the Dalai Lama! It knows that it is a thief who has stolen other peoples country. Guilty conscience pricks them at every incident including peaceful protestors and sends their hired rabble rousers to drown the voice of Tibetans shouting, “FREE TIBET”. However, Shina must realise, a stolen thing cannot belong to the thief! This is against nature and human logic! The US has given a boost for the independence of Tibet. Independence is also in the interest of our host and neighbour India. India and Shina have been at odds since Tibet was occupied by Shina. No matter what India did including bartering Tibet for Sikkim by Atal Behari Bajpai in 2003, or accepting the “Tibet part of China and India” in the 1954 Panch Sheel, Shina continuously back stabbed and bullied India. The Indians have at long last given up their hope of befriending Shina by being the junior partner has evaporated. It is at last stiffening its resolve to have some spine and is getting more truculent against Shina. It realises that its previous leaders had made an unforgivable blunder by endorsing baseless and fabricated Shina’s claims which is now biting them hard. The Americans also realise that President Franklin Roosevelt’s endorsement of Chang Kai Sheks claim over Tibet in the early 1940s was responsible for the subjugation of the Tibetan people. Roosevelt did so because Republican Shina and the US were allies during the Second World War against Japan. Besides, it is the need of the hour to cut Shina to size in its rivalry against Commy Shina. The reason why Tibet got caught up in this debacle is owing to the intrigues of the British, American and Shina imperialists and utter naivety and gullibility of Indian leaders. We have an opportunity to unravel the obfuscation created by vested imperialists and gain recognition of our independence just like Kosovo got recognition as an independent state on 17th February 2008 after the Balkan war. No people want to enslaved by any other country and Tibetans are no exception. Only Tibetan independence will bring rights, dignity and land ownership to the Tibetan people and also secure India’s border with Tibet to the level it was before the Shina’s illegal occupation of Tibet.