News and Views on Tibet

Tibet can benefit by being part of China: Dalai

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BERLIN, October 18 – Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, said on Saturday that his country can benefit economically from remaining a part of China.

“Tibet is a backwater and China can help us because we need much material development,” the 68-year-old leader of the Tibetan government-in-exile told a press conference before addressing an audience at Berlin’s Humboldt University.

The Dalai Lama, who wants self-rule for his Himalayan region occupied by China since 1951, praised liberalisation in China and a new readiness for dialogue, but said suppression of Tibetan culture and religion is still commonplace.

“We are very happy to have sent representatives to China,” he said. “But for the six million people inside Tibet there is no sign of improvement.”

Official relations between China and the government-in-exile were renewed last year when Tibetan representatives held the first major meeting with Chinese officials since talks collapsed in 1993.

Though the Dalai Lama said he has repeatedly emphasized Tibet does not want independence, he said “the Chinese government always suspects us.”

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