US lawmakers meet Dalai Lama in India’s Dharamshala, angering China

DHARAMSHALA, India — A bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation met with the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharamshala, India, on Wednesday, angering China, which views the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism as a dangerous separatist.

It comes as Washington and Beijing recently resumed negotiations after several years of turmoil that began after the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods under the Trump administration. At the time, relations further deteriorated following the COVID-19 pandemic and rising military tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

The high-level delegation, led by Republican Michael McCaul and including former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arrived Tuesday in the hillside city that the Nobel Peace Prize winner has made his headquarters since he fled Tibet after the failure of an uprising against Chinese rule. in 1959. There, they met with officials of the Tibetan government in exile, which wanted more autonomy for Tibet.

Beijing does not recognize the said administration and has not engaged in any dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama since 2010.

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

They told the crowd that one of the main purposes of their visit was to highlight the Resolve Tibet Act, passed by the U.S. Congress last week, which aims to encourage dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials in the hope of finding a peaceful solution between Tibet and Beijing. The bill is now expected to be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.

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

McCaul, the Republican representative, said it reaffirmed U.S. support for the Tibetans’ right to self-determination. “This week our delegation received a letter from the Chinese Communist Party warning us not to come here… but we did not let the CCP intimidate us because we are here today,” he said to the cheers of the crowd.

However, the visit and the recently passed bill triggered a swift reaction from Beijing.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, on Tuesday urged Washington not to support Tibetan independence and said the White House “must not sign the bill” or China will take ” resolute measures”, without specifying what it could do. be.

“It is common knowledge that the 14th Dalai Lama is not a purely religious figure, but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the guise of religion,” Lin added, urging the US side to “ have no contact with the Dalai Lama group in any form, and to stop sending the wrong signal to the world.”

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

The Tibetan spiritual leader has a history of engaging with US officials, including US presidents – from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama – with the exception of Donald Trump. He has yet to meet with Biden since he took office in 2021.

The Dalai Lama is expected to travel to the United States on Thursday to receive medical treatment for his knees, but it is unclear whether he will meet with officials during his stay.

Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly asked the United States not to interfere in Tibetan affairs and has maintained that the Tibetan people have benefited from social stability and economic growth under its rule.

While India considers Tibet part of China, it welcomes Tibetan exiles.

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