By Tenzin Dharpo
IMAGEIMAGE DHARAMSHALA, FEB. 5: A high ranking Chinese official on Friday said that it is “impossible” to have dialogue with the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson earlier this week said that his new government will push to promote dialogue between Beijing and the Tibetan leader.
Zhu Weiqun, head of the ethnic and religious affairs committee, was cited by the Chinese state run Global Times as saying that dialogue between the two will never happen as China recognizes the Tibetan exile set – up as illegal.
The Chinese official also said that the US should not use the Dalai Lama as a diplomatic means to create trouble and challenge sovereignty of China. He further said that such moves by US will serve only to dampen relations between the two countries.
On Tuesday, the former CEO of Exxon Mobil and newly appointed US Secretary of State Tillerson said, “While recognizing Tibet as part of the China, I will continue to encourage dialogue between Beijing and representatives of Tibet’s ‘Government in Exile’ and/or the Dalai Lama.”
Tillerson also said he will also encourage Beijing and the Governments of all nations to respect and preserve the distinct religious, linguistic, and cultural identity of the Tibetan people worldwide.
The exile Tibetan government officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamshala, India, has assumed an official stand to contest the Tibetan issue through the Middle Way approach, after its approval in the Tibetan parliament. China, however, has on several occasions said that they reject the proposal.
