Dalai Lama asks China to develop trust with India

Advocating "genuine friendship" between India and China, the Dalai Lama today said it was essential for the two most populous nations to develop mutual trust, which can be achieved if China transforms into an "open society".

Talking to reporters after his meetings with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Tibetan spiritual leader told China that if it has to realise its goal of becoming a superpower, it should also lay emphasis on moral authority and end censorship.

"China should be an open society. Then, trust can develop, particularly with India. I think the two most populated nations, genuine friendships between these two countries are very, very essential. Genuine friendship only comes on the basis of mutual trust," he said, even as he termed India as his home.

Contending that a closed society led to suspicion and distrust, he said: "If (former Chinese President) Jiang Zemin closed, everything state secret, state secret it can, you see, create more suspicion, more distrust (sic)".

Contending that censorship and hiding the truth, was 'immoral', he said the over one billion people of China had the right to know the reality.

"And also, you see, the Chinese people have... Brains to judge which is right, which is wrong. So there is no reason to put lot of control about media. That's wrong. This I really feel very strongly," he said.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, has been living in Dharamshala from where the Tibetan government-in-exile functions.

The 74-year old Nobel laureate said Tibetans were committed to seek a resolution to their problems within China, and this also served their interest. "Tibet is landlocked country and, materially, very, very backward," he said.

Asked what reaction he expected from China following his meeting with Obama, he said he was certain he would be at the receiving end of criticism.

"I feel almost certain some negative, some criticism, some scold," he said.

Responding to a question, the Dalai Lama said he was not frustrated by the direction of the Tibetan cause, saying: "this is not question of just, you see, how soon achieved. Something worthwhile makes attempt... Whether we realise this goal within one's own lifetime or not, doesn't matter".

Asserting he has not given hope for the last 50 years, he said he wanted the issue to be resolved in a way that would also benefit others in Asia, particularly, millions of young Chinese.

"We believe our... Is reasonable and truthful and something benefit," he said.

He said besides economic development, it was crucial that the Chinese also join the world mainstream.

Arguing that it is also the responsibility of the rest of the world to bring China into mainstream of world democracy, he said: "You see, in China, the hardliners are thinking, in their eyes, the very word 'democracy' is something negative".

Touching upon the argument of the Chinese leadership that the Western style of democracy would not fit Asia, he referred to India as an exmaple of a successful democracy.

On China's ambition of becoming a superpower, he said in order to achieve that goal, the country needs to lay emphasis on moral authority as well and not merely military power.

"Superpower in the sense of military force – that's like former Soviet Union. That brings more fear, more distrust, more uncomfortable. Like, superpower America – open society, democratic, independent judiciary – so that superpower brings more, sort of, trust, more comfort. So therefore, the transparency – yes, transparency – and sort of without censorship and free media is very, very essential," he said.