China says talks on Tibet only with Dalai Lama’s representatives; rules out dialogue on autonomy


PTI, Apr 26, 2024, 5:27 PM IST

Representative image (source: Shutterstock)

Beijing: 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 immediate expectations from it. It has to be a long-term (one).”

Insisting that the talks are “very informal,” the head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said, “I have my interlocutor who deals with people in Beijing. Then there are other elements also trying to reach out to us.”

According to Wang, the Chinese government has “two basic principles for contacts with this (Dalai Lama’s) group.” “First, we will only have talks with the representatives of the 14th Dalai Lama instead of the so-called representatives of the so-called government-in-exile or the so-called administrative centre,” Wang said.

Secondly, the topics for talks will be only for the arrangements and not for the “so-called autonomy” of Tibet, the main demand of the 88-year-old Dalai Lama.

“They should have some self-introspection and refrain from all activities sabotaging the stability of Xizang and go back to the right way so that we can move towards the next step,” Wang said without elaborating.

From 2002 to 2010, the Dalai Lama’s representatives and the Chinese government held nine rounds of dialogue that did not produce any concrete outcome. The Tibetan side pitched for genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people in line with the Dalai Lama’s ‘Middle-Way Policy.’ No formal talks have been held since after 2010.

In Dharamshala, another senior Tibetan leader indicated that the back-channel talks are aimed at reviving the overall dialogue process as it is the only way out to resolve the Tibetan issue.

The 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 and came to India where he set up the government-in-exile at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Actress Kasthuri released from jail, says ‘I thank those who made me raging storm’

Kidnapped for ransom in 1998, 26/11 survivor Gautam Adani faces biggest trial

100 engineering colleges in Karnataka to be ‘adopted’ by corporates by next year: IT Minister Kharge

Siddaramaiah defends BPL ration card cancellation, says only ineligible beneficiaries affected

China announces new policy measures to protect its exports from Trump’s new tariff threat

Renovated Medical Oncology OPD and Chemotherapy Day Care Centre inaugurated at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal

Karnataka Health Minister justifies revision of user fees in state-run hospitals

Related Articles More

China announces new policy measures to protect its exports from Trump’s new tariff threat

Pak government prepares for proposed protest by former PM Imran Khan’s party on Nov 24

Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother Anmol arrested in US, lodged in Iowa jail

Pakistan to launch comprehensive operation against militants in Balochistan

PM Modi arrives in Brazil to attend G20 Summit on tour’s second leg

MUST WATCH

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing

DK Shivakumar

Rose Cultivation

Geethotsava

Naxal Operation


Latest Additions

Siddaramaiah says confident of winning all three bypolls in Karnataka

Hop on! IT Minister Priyank Kharge checks out Uber Shuttle at Bengaluru Tech Summit

Actress Kasthuri released from jail, says ‘I thank those who made me raging storm’

Kidnapped for ransom in 1998, 26/11 survivor Gautam Adani faces biggest trial

AIMPLB to hold its annual general sessions in Bengaluru from November 23

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.