Dalai Lama hails good start between Modi govt, China

Hailing the "good start" between the Narendra Modi government and the Chinese leadership, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today said that despite difficult situations, efforts should be made through mutual understand to reach agreeable solutions.
"India has now a new government, more assertive... And it seems to have developed close relation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is a good start. Basically, any manmade problem must be solved through mutual understanding and not through confrontation.
"No matter how difficult, one must make efforts through mutual understanding for an agreeable solution. For that, personal contact is necessary. So I think it's a good start," the Dalai Lama said at an event here on 'Cultivating Key Human Values' organised by Ananta Centre.

He was responding to a question on whether the Indian government was moving to solve the Tibet issue and if he wanted a dialogue with India or China in that regard.
Lauding Xi Jinping, the Dalai Lama said that the Chinese President had, unlike other Communist leaders, publicly said that Buddhism has an important role in Chinese culture.
"Xi Jinping unlike previous communist leaders... Publicly expressed... In Paris as well as in Delhi (that) for Chinese culture, Buddhism has a great important role. Regarding preservation of Chinese culture, Buddhists should take serious responsibility.

Saying that "confrontation creates more problems" and that all problems should be resolved through "talk and dialogue", the Tibetan spiritual leader urged people to promote and secure the ideals of peace, harmony and secularism.

He lauded India's secular principles and stressed on the need for greater interaction between different religions and communities.
"I think religious harmony and secularism in India is truly wonderful, although there are occasional problems created by mischievous people," he said.