'Stop sending wrong signal': China warns US delegation visiting India to meet Tibetan leader Dalai Lama

China has warned a US delegation visiting India to meet the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.

The United States should stop sending wrong signals, said the Embassy of China in India on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, a bipartisan US Congressional delegation led by Michael McCaul, the Chairman of the US House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, arrived in Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. Following their arrival, the Congresspersons met the members of Tibet’s Parliament-in-Exile. They are slated to meet the Dalai Lama tomorrow.

US congressional delegation at the Parliament of Tibetan Govt in exile at Dharamshala. @thetribunechd @MEAIndia @StateDept pic.twitter.com/z8Wntxa58L

— Ajay Banerjee (@ajaynewsman) June 18, 2024

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Dharamshala has been home to the Dalai Lama for six decades. He fled his home in Tibet along with his followers after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule in the region. He arrived in India in 1959. Upon their arrival in India, they set up the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, which is formally called the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The CTA is based in Dharamshala.

The delegation also includes Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, who has also visited Taiwan in 2022 and attracted China’s ire. Now, she is at the centre of China’s ire again as she is set to meet the Dalai Lama, whom China considers a separatist.

‘Dalai Lama a separatist under the cloak of religion’

As the US delegation arrived in India, China denounced the Dalai Lama as a separatist who hides behind a cloak of religion for his anti-China activities.

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In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Embassy of China in India said that the United States should stop sending the wrong signals by engaging with the Dalai Lama and his separatist movement.

“It’s known by all 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 urge the US side to fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai group, honour the commitments the US has made to China on issues related to Xizang, stop sending the wrong signal to the world,” read the statement.

It’s known by all that the 14th #DalaiLama is not a pure religious figure, but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion. We urge the US side to fully recognize the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai group, honor the…

— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) June 18, 2024

The Chinese mission used the name Xizang to refer to Tibet. Xizang is the Mandarin name that the Chinese regime has imposed on the historic region of Tibet. The Communist Party of China (CPC) regime invaded Tibet in 1949-50 and occupied the region. Since then, it has systematically repressed the native culture and heritage, leading to the failed uprising following which the Dalai Lama had to flee for his life.

In its statement, the Chinese mission warned against any interference in Tibetan and asserted that the region has been part of China since ancient times.

China further said that the United State should adhere to the commitment to recognise Tibet as a part of China.

“We urge the US side to adhere to its commitments of recognizing Xizang as part of China and not supporting “Xizang independence.” China will take resolute measures to firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests,” said the Embassy of China.

Like Taiwan, Tibet is one of the ‘red lines’ of the Chinese regime. China issues strong reactions whenever foreign leaders mention Tibet or engage with the region’s exiled leadership. In exile, the Dalai Lama, who has been awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize, has spoken of the Chinese occupation of Tibet the world across and has advocated for dialogue to resolve the crisis. The Dharamshala-based government-in-exile has also preached of the Chinese repression and the systematic erasure of Tibetan heritage and culture over the decades.

US policy seen shift in Tibet policy, says US delegation leader

The US policy towards Tibet has seen a major shift, said Representative McCaul, who is leading the delegation to Tibet.

In an address at the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, McCaul backed the Tibetans’ right to self-determination.

“The Congress has seen a major shift in US policy towards Tibet on a road to self-determination. You know, the United Nations talks every people and every country having a right to self-determination,” said McCaul, according to a video of the address shared by The Tribune.

Separately, McCaul also said the US President Joe Biden will sign the Resolve Tibet Act into law. The bill has been passed by the House and the Senate.

Besides McCaul and Pelosi, the delegation includes House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (Democrat), House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (Democrat), House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Ranking Member Ami Bera (Democrat), and Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican), and Nicole Malliotakis (Republican).