Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 21: During his recent visit to China, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy addressed human rights violations concerning the Uyghur population in East Turkestan (Xinjiang), but notably avoided any mention of Tibet, despite calls from rights groups to highlight the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet.
After Lammy’s meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday, the UK Foreign Office issued a statement saying that the discussions included concerns over the mistreatment of Uyghurs in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) and the case of detained British citizen Jimmy Lai. The statement described the meeting as “constructive,” noting that a range of foreign policy and security issues were discussed.
Ahead of Lammy’s first official trip to Beijing, several Tibetan rights groups urged him to raise the deteriorating conditions in Tibet with his Chinese counterparts. In an open letter, the London-based Free Tibet organization stressed that Lammy’s visit coincided with a “historic low” for human rights in Tibet. The letter expressed deep concern over Beijing’s growing control over the region, citing the forced assimilation of Tibetan children through state-imposed education systems and the closure of Tibetan schools. The group also pointed to increasing transnational repression of Tibetan communities in exile, particularly in the UK, by Chinese authorities.
Rights groups also urged Lammy to use his first official visit to China as a foreign secretary to confront these human rights violations. They highlighted that Tibet remains largely closed to independent journalists, diplomats, and human rights monitors, limiting accountability. Citing the UK’s economic and diplomatic influence as a key trading partner with China, the groups emphasised that Britain should leverage this position to pressure Beijing to release political prisoners and halt policies that endanger Tibetan culture, identity, and livelihood. However, no mention was made of Tibet.
During his visit to Beijing, Lammy also met with Ding Xuexiang, China’s most senior vice-premier and a close ally of President Xi Jinping. He is also expected to travel to Shanghai for talks with British businesses to strengthen economic ties between the UK and China.
Lammy emphasised that the UK government is seeking to bring “consistency” to its relationship with China, noting that there had not been “sufficient contact” between London and Beijing under his predecessors, particularly regarding human rights. He also stressed the importance of maintaining a “pragmatic” approach to relations with China. His visit marks the second by a British foreign secretary in two years, following James Cleverly’s trip in August 2023.
