US lawmakers meet with Dalai Lama in India’s Dharamshala, sparking anger from China

DHARAMSHALA, India — A bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress met with the Dalai Lama Wednesday at his residence in Dharamshala, India, sparking anger in China, which considers the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism a dangerous separatist.

This comes as Washington and Beijing have recently done resumed talks after several years of unrest which began after the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods under the Trump administration. Relations have further deteriorated due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising military tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

The high-level delegation, led by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul and including Democratic former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arrived Tuesday in the hill town where the Nobel Peace Prize winner has made his headquarters since he fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. There they met with officials from the Tibetan government in exile, which wants more autonomy for Tibet.

Beijing does not recognize the government in exile and has not engaged in dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.

After meeting with the spiritual leader on Wednesday, the seven US lawmakers addressed hundreds of people who had gathered at a monastery outside the 88-year-old Dalai Lama’s home, waving American and Tibetan flags.

They told the crowd that a major focus of their visit was to highlight the Resolve Tibet Act, which was passed by the US Congress last week and aims to encourage dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials in the hope of find a peaceful solution between Tibet and China. Beijing. The bill must now be sent to the White House to be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

The bill is “a message to the Chinese government that we have clarity in our thinking and our understanding of this issue of Tibet’s freedom,” Pelosi said, drawing applause.

McCaul, the Republican representative, said the bill reaffirms U.S. support for the Tibetan right to self-determination. “Just this week, our delegation received a letter from the Chinese Communist Party warning us not to come here… but we were not intimidated by the CCP because we are here today,” he said as people cheered.

However, the visit and the recently passed bill have prompted swift reactions from Beijing.

Lin Jian, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, urged Washington on Tuesday not to support Tibetan independence, saying the White House “must not sign the bill into law” or China will take “resolute measures” , without explaining what these measures are. maybe.

“It is known to everyone that the 14th Dalai Lama is not a purely religious figure, but a political exile who is engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the guise of religion,” Lin added, urging the US “not to have contact with the Dalai Lama. group in any form, and stop sending the wrong signal to the world.”

The Dalai Lama denies being a separatist and says he only supports substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet’s indigenous Buddhist culture.

The Tibetan spiritual leader has a history of contacts with US officials, including meetings with US presidents – from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama – except Donald Trump. He has not met Biden since taking office in 2021.

The Dalai Lama is expected to travel to the US on Thursday for medical treatment on his knees, but it is unclear whether he will meet officials there.

Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly asked the US not to interfere in Tibetan affairs, and it has done so argued that the people of Tibet have enjoyed social stability and economic growth under his rule.

Although India considers Tibet to be part of China, it is home to Tibetan exiles.

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Associated Press writer Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report. Pathi reported from New Delhi.