Page 4 - Tibet

China says talks on Tibet only with representatives of Dalai Lama

China on Friday said it will talk only with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and not the officials of the Tibetan government in exile based in India but ruled out dialogue on the highest Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader's long-pending demand for autonomy for his remote Himalayan homeland. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin was reacting to reports of the back-channel talks between the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Chinese government when he said China regards the Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharamshala as a separatist bloc. The so-called Xizang's government-in-exile is a completely separatist political bloc. It is totally against the Chinese Constitution and laws. It is illegal, Wang told a media briefing here. No country has recognised it. On Thursday, Sikyong or the political head of Tibet's government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, told a visiting group of journalists in Dharamshala, India, We have had back-channel (engagement) since last year. But we have no

Tibetans call on India, other nations to press Beijing over Panchen Lama

The Tibetan government-in-exile on Thursday called on India and other democratic nations to press Beijing to divulge the whereabouts of Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and allow an independent fact-finding commission to examine his disappearance in China nearly 29 years ago. The demand was made at a grand event held in this Himachal Pradesh town commemorating the 35th birth anniversary of Choekyi Nyima who disappeared just three days after the Dalai Lama declared the then six-year to be the reincarnated Panchen Lama. A joint statement issued by leading Tibetan leaders called on foreign governments and the UN to direct their ambassadors in China to meet with the 11th Panchen Lama and ascertain his whereabouts and wellbeing. The Panchen Lama is the second most important figure in Tibetan Buddhism. "Our most pressing concern is whether the Panchen Rinpoche is still alive or not," said Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or political head of Tibet's government-in-exile, in presence of hundred

Tibetan govt-in-exile holds back-channel informal dialogue with China

The Tibetan government-in-exile and China are holding back-channel talks, signalling signs of willingness by both sides to re-engage over a decade after the formal dialogue process hit a dead end in view of anti-China protests in Tibet and Beijing's hardline approach towards the Buddhist region. The Sikyong or political head of Tibet's government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, confirmed the holding of informal talks and said his interlocutor has been dealing with "people in Beijing" but there is no immediate expectation of a forward movement. "We have had back-channel (engagement) since last year. But we have no immediate expectations from it. It has to be a long-term (one)," Tsering told a small group of journalists, insisting that the talks are "very informal". "I have my interlocutor who deals with people in Beijing. Then there are other elements also trying to reach out to us," the head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said. From 2002 to 2010, Tibetan spiritual leader the

Report claims China spying on exiled Tibetans to collect personal info

TCHRD's spokesperson, Tenzin Dawa, remarked that the whole process of the report took about two years, and they have tried to get in touch with around one hundred Tibetan people

Rajnath Singh matches Xi Jinping, talks up role of border villagers

We are developing infrastructure on the mountains and deploying the troops on hill borders in such a way that it is ensuring the safety of the people there, said Singh

Tejashwi Yadav meets Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya

Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya on Thursday. The Dalai Lama has been camping in Bodh Gaya for the last couple of weeks. Yadav met the spiritual leader at the Tibetan Monastery. After the meeting, he went to the Maha Bodhi temple where he offered prayers. "I met the Dalai Lama today and sought his blessings. I also inspected the arrangements made for devotees at the temple. The beautification work of the Maha Bodhi temple is being done by the state Tourism Department. Following the directions of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, we are trying to find out what more can be done as the number of devotees has been increasing," Yadav said. "The Tourism Department has made elaborate arrangements for devotees to meditate here. The state government has already approved a 5-star hotel in Bodh Gaya, and I will inspect the site," he added. The chief minister met the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya on December 21. During the meeting, Ku

US House Committee approves 'Resolve Tibet Act' for Tibet-China dispute

The Resolve Tibet Act states that Tibetans "are a people with a distinct religious, cultural, linguistic and historical identity," as per the ICT

Biden urged to press Beijing to return to direct dialogue with Tibetans

Expressing concern that the issue of Tibet did not come up during the Joe Biden-Xi Jinping meeting, the International Campaign for Tibet has urged the US president to press Beijing to return to direct dialogue with the representatives of the Tibetan people. "Xi's meeting with President Biden takes place at a critical moment as the Chinese leader has ruthless control in Tibet, including intensive securitisation of the Tibetan Plateau and unprecedented Sinification of the Tibetan people. It is most important to raise these concerns directly with President Xi, the International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement. Tibetans, Uyghurs, and many other groups, including the Chinese people themselves, have been denied the freedom to raise their grievances and seek redress from the Chinese government. Xi and his officials must hear their voices too, and the Biden administration has an opportunity to push them to listen, it said. In particular, President Biden should press Beijing to return

Tibetan students protest against China, urge G20 leaders to take action

Tibetan activists staged a protest here in McLeodganj on Saturday appealing to the G20 leaders gathered in Delhi to discuss China's alleged attempts at erasing Tibetan culture. The student protesters alleged that the Chinese government was continuously assaulting their education system and trying to erase Tibetan culture and identity. The protesters urged the world leaders to take a firm action against these actions. Tenzin Passang, national director of Students for Free Tibet (India), said China has established in Tibet colonial-style boarding schools where Tibetan children, as young as four years old, are separated from their families and forced into these schools. The separation disconnects them from their language and culture not just their families, he said. Tenzin Lekdhen, campaign director at Students for Free Tibet - India, said, "We want to urge G20 leaders to specifically talk about these events that are currently happening in Tibet, especially this colonial boarding sch

Tibetans not to protest against Chinese presence at G20 summit: Official

Tibetans in exile will not hold any protest against the Chinese here during a G20 Summit scheduled to be held later this week as Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be attending the meeting, a Tibetan delegate said. "We wanted to do some movement during the G20 meeting if Xi Jinping were to attend the summit. Now we have heard that he is not coming," Dawa Tsering, a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, said. Tsering said since Xi Jinping came to power, he has been provoking the Indian government and the Indian people. "He (Xi) is torturing the Tibetan people and he did not allow small children to study their own language. If my son wants to become a monk, he does not allow it. It is a cultural genocide. He is worse than Mao Zedong," he said. Asked if the Tibetans would protest against the presence of a Chinese representative at the summit, Tsering said the protest would have taken place only if Xi Jinping had come to attend the meet. "We expect the Indian government to sta

India should give stapled visas to anyone applying from Tibet: Tharoor

Amid a row over China issuing stapled visas to a few sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said India should simply start issuing stapled visas to anyone applying for an Indian visa from Tibet. India on Thursday described as "unacceptable" China issuing stapled visas to a few sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that it reserves the right to "suitably respond" to such actions. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has lodged its "strong protest" with the Chinese side on the matter and there should be no discrimination on the basis of domicile or ethnicity in the visa regime for Indian citizens. Tagging a media report on China issuing stapled visas to some Indian sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, Tharoor tweeted, "Enough is enough. Instead of frustrating our sportsmen and every other Arunachali seeking a Chinese visa, we should simply start issuing stapled visas ourselves, to anyone applying f

China want to contact me: Dalai Lama open to talks over Tibet problem

The Dalai Lama made the remarks while to speaking to reporters in Dharamshala before embarking on a visit to Delhi and Ladakh

China bullying Australia over appearance of Tibetan Prez in Canberra

The Chinese side urges the Australian side to see through the nature of the Dalai Clique, respect China's core interests and major concerns

China sourcing Tibet's groundwater, selling it in plastic bottles: Report

It is a case of Chinese entrepreneurs stealing groundwater from Tibet and selling it back to Tibetans, who previously got it for free, Tibet Rights Collective reported

Human rights situation in Tibet 'major concern to us': G7 leaders

"This communique by G7 leaders shows that China's abuses in Tibet have not escaped the attention of some of the most influential leaders on the planet"

UN demands China's answers on discrimination against Tibetan women in Tibet

Concerned about situation of Tibetan women in Tibet, United Nations Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) has questioned China on matter, reported Tibet Rights Collective

Antony Blinken expresses concern over China collecting DNA of Tibetans

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has publicly expressed concerns over reports of China gathering DNA from Tibetans, making him the senior-most American official to raise the issue to date

Stop feeding the dragon if you cannot tame it: Tibet PM tells India

Asking India to pursue a more strategic trade policy with China, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, said New Delhi should stop feeding the dragon if you cannot tame it and it is biting back. Tsering, who is on a three-day visit to Shimla and would call on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu besides visiting Tibetan colonies, called for transatlantic cooperation to check China. You are feeding the dragon every day and then saying it is biting back. Stop feeding the dragon if you are not able to tame it and it is biting back, he told reporters while replying to queries, adding India's trade policy has to be more strategic rather than just buying more from China and selling less to it. According to official data released by China in January, the trade between India and China touched an all-time high of USD 135.98 billion in 2022 while New Delhi's trade deficit with Beijing crossed for the first time a USD 100 billion mark despite frosty bilateral .

Tibetan, Himalayan Buddhist associations come in support of Dalai Lama

Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhist Associations came in support of Dalai Lama alleging China is behind the "ill-spreading" of the video against Dalai Lama to tarnish his image

LIVE: Stay alert, be prepared for Covid management, HM says to states

Catch live updates from across the globe here