Tibetan activists protest outside UN in New York, demand independence

Tibetan activists gathered outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday, holding a protest against China and calling for global support for Tibetan independence.

The demonstrators raised slogans such as "Free Tibet, China out, China out of Tibet now."

Speaking on behalf of the group, Tashi Tundup, Vice President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of New York and New Jersey, said, "We are here to request the United Nations representatives, the world leaders, to support Tibet, for Tibetan independence..."

The Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) is a chapter of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), which is the largest pro-independence Tibetan organization in exile, boasting over 30,000 members worldwide. Founded in 1970, the TYC advocates for the complete independence of Tibet and has been actively organising protests and awareness campaigns regarding the political situation in Tibet.

This protest took place alongside the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where world leaders gathered to discuss pressing global issues.

On the fourth day of the UNGA, China's Premier of the State Council, Li Qiang, addressed the assembly, as reported by Al Jazeera. Li spoke on behalf of President Xi Jinping, who did not attend the event.

Li has not mentioned Trump by name, but the US President's trade policies have loomed large, according to Al Jazeera.

"A major cause of the current global economic doldrums is the rise in unilateral and proorganisationtectionist measures such as tariff hikes and the erection of walls and barriers," the Chinese premier said.

"We should collaborate more closely to identify and expand convergence of interests, promote universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, and help each other succeed by moving forward in the same direction," he added.

Trump pursued an aggressive tariff policy, in what he has described as an effort to hard reset the US domestic industry. That has included escalating a trade war with China, over which both sides remain in talks.