Dharamshala: A bipartisan delegation of the United States Congress, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reached the seat of the Tibetan government in exile here, triggering a strong protest from China, which urged the US not to sign the Tibet policy bill.
The bipartisan Tibet policy bill, adopted by both the US Senate and the House of Representatives, awaits President Joe Biden’s signature to make it into a law, US media reports said.
The delegation, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaulis, arrived on June 18 in Himachal Pradesh's Dharamshala -- the seat of power for Tibet’s government in exile since their spiritual leader Dalai Lama stepped into India six decades ago.
The US House of Representatives voted 391-26 last week to approve the Promoting and Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, passed by the Senate. The bill would reportedly direct funds to counter what it calls “disinformation” from Beijing about Tibet’s history, people, and institutions.
Reacting to the development, China urged Biden not to sign the Tibet policy bill, warning of "resolute measures". It further said that the 14th Dalai Lama is not a pure religious figure, but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion.
“We are gravely concerned over the relevant reports and urge the US side to fully recognize the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai group, honor the commitments the US has made to China on issues related to Xizang, have no contact with the Dalai group in any form, and stop sending the wrong signal to the world”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said.
China officially refers to Tibet as Xizang. Claiming that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times, Lin said it always remained China’s territory and “Tibet-related affairs are purely China’s internal affairs that brook no external interference.”
“We urge the US side to adhere to its commitments of recognizing Xizang as part of China and not supporting ‘Xizang independence’. In April this year, China said it would talk only with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and not the officials of the Tibetan government in exile based in India.
