By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, Feb. 4: The US State Department on Tuesday said that the Biden administration will continue to promote human rights for Tibetans living under Chinese rule, and that it will press Beijing for a dialogue with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “We urge Chinese authorities to respect the human rights of Tibetans, and the preservation of Tibet’s environment as well as the unique cultural, linguistic, and religious identity of Tibetan traditions,” a State Department spokesperson told RFA’s Tibetan Service.
The spokesperson said that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged to appoint “United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues and the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom to promote religious freedom for Tibetans in China and around the world.” It reiterated its support for meaningful autonomy for Tibetans, and assured that it will implement the visa restrictions and financial sanctions to hold Chinese officials accountable for human rights abuses in Tibet.
The official further remarked that it will continue to pursue the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act as “the Department has [already] appointed visa restrictions on PRC officials who have restricted access of foreigners to Tibet.” The Washington-based advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) welcomed the statement on the resumption of talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama or his representatives. “The statement sends the right message to China by echoing the commitments on Tibet made by then-presidential candidate Biden during the campaign, including on holding China accountable for its refusal to allow U.S. access to Tibet and its denial of religious freedom to the Tibetan people,” ICT said on Wednesday.
The international rights group also urged the Secretary of State Antony Blinken to fulfil the commitments by implementing all legislation supporting Tibet passed by Congress and signed into law by former President Trump, citing both the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018 and the Tibet Policy Support Act of 2020.
The Beijing administration continues to raise objection towards any high-level foreign contacts by governments with the Dalai Lama by accusing them of interference in China’s internal affairs. However, President Joe Biden during his election campaign in September stated that he will meet with the Dalai Lama, restore access to Tibet for US citizens, and appoint a new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, which the previous administration appointed late in the term.
Sure. The Biden administration quickly relaxing various restrictions placed on China by the Trump administration can only help the Tibetan struggle. It’s bit of a mystery to me why the CCP was so happy – literally celebrating that Biden won.
TGiE must prioritise to review the Middle Way Policy which is longer than quarter of a century old by now. China has delivered Nothing thus far.
These days Sinkiang, Hongkong and Taiwan are talk of the town in the international fora and press. It may portray a false picture as though there are no problems in Tibet these days! Is it because of our Middle Way Policy (MWP) of reaching out to the Peking regime with the intention to trade sovereign independence to some kind of genuine autonomy? In any case, it is high time our exile administration withdraws this MWP (for the fact that China deliberately ignored it as of this day) and declare that all options are open way forward. This will be a great historical service to the future generations of our great Tibet.
What a load of nonsense! How do you expect the US to fight for Tibetan independence when we ourselves are not fighting for it. Autonomy, the last time I checked, is our goal. It is not a ploy – don’t get cute. If you have a problem, take it with TGIE.
I am a Rangzen proponent, I would not blame the US govt. (Biden Administration) for taking the position it seem to be taking. Rome was not build in one day, as they say.
Joe Biden, Xi Jiping, Karl Marx …, give me brake – you drank the Trumpist Kool-Aid. It’s time to puke it up, if you want to live in a sane world.
Don’t justify your twisted conspiracy filled Trumpist world view with support for Tibetan cause. Actually, you are not in the right head space to help any cause. Take a break and get your bearings straight.
There are strong Tibet supporters in both US political parties. Why do you want Tibetans to see Democrats in a bad light, what is your motivation, or are you a Chinese troll trying to divide and conquer?
The Dalai Lama lives in Dharmshala, not Kalorama and not Lhasa.
If the world continues in believing in the fallacy of us and them, consider the meaning of “there’s a lot more of them than us”. So let the “lot of them” show their humanity.
Politicians get elected on rhetoric. If the people do not have the capacity to understand that, who’s fault is that exactly? But in so called democracies, they do have the right to vote out said politicians. But that only applies if they are not fooled by messages from their smart devices. Mind control indeed.
Biden’s support is empty words. While assuring support for Tibet, Democrats have simultaneously reaffirmed US position that Taiwan and Tibet are integral part of Tibet. In effect, Biden is saying his government will NOT support Tibetan independance. The tone he has set regarding Tibet issue seems to be this: say some harsh things on CCP about human rights violations in Tibet from from to time, and meet Dalai Lama, and give some money to CTA in India and Tibet government in Lhasa(under PRC).
Lobsang Sangay makes Tibetan believe that US gave support to Tibetans in India only. But the fact is, US gave more money to so-called Tibetan regional government in Lhasa via the CCP government. So be careful, USA is trying to play games.
US considers Tibet Government in Lhasa as the local Tibetan government and deals with CTA as a charitable organization, like Gates Foundation or Hill People’s Society.
Generally, in the context of political negotiations and conflict resolution, starting point should be from the mountain-top and then compromise to a lower position. In Tibet’s case, if USA wants Tibetans to get Autonomy or Middle Way, then USA has start by saying Tibet is independent, and then discount that to Autonomy. If you start with Middle Way, then you get something less than Middle Way. If you start with Independence or Rangzen, then you get Middle Way.
CPP and Democrat government are ideologically aligned along socialist, egalitarian lines. Ideologically, Joe Biden and Xi Jinping hold similar political views, inspired by Karl Marx and Lenin.