By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, April 24: Ahead of the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on April 24-26, the Washington-based advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) has urged the senior US official to address “deteriorating” situation in Tibet both “privately and publicly” with his Chinese counterparts.
In a letter, President Tenchoe Gyatso of the advocacy group urged Blinken to address the Tibet issue during his meetings with Chinese leaders later in the week, as well as to publicly raise the matter in front of the press.
The letter implored Blinken to focus on several critical issues, including the location, well-being, and release of the Panchen Lama, a highly esteemed figure in Tibetan Buddhism who disappeared at the age of 6 and will turn 35 during Blinken’s visit on April 25. ICT also urged Blinken to address China’s interference in the Dalai Lama’s succession, its obligation to resume negotiations with Tibetan leaders to address Tibet’s status and to advocate for the approximately 1 million Tibetan children compelled into compulsory state-run boarding schools with colonial-style practices.
The Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, also conveyed a message via social media, urging Blinken to prioritize Tibet during his upcoming visit to China. In a tweet, he stated, “As @SecBlinken of the #UnitedStates is scheduled to visit China from April 24th to 26th for bilateral and global discussions, I urge him to address the issue of Tibet and the violations of fundamental rights therein.”
Secretary Blinken during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Washington D.C. last year on October 26-27, conveyed his apprehension regarding human rights violations in Tibet, East Turkestan (Xinjiang), and Hong Kong. “The Secretary raised concerns about PRC human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong, as well as individual cases of concern,” an official statement from the U.S. Department of State highlighted.
Matthew Miller, the Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, issued a press statement announcing Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s upcoming travel to China from April 24 to 26. During his visit, Blinken will engage with senior officials in Shanghai and Beijing to address various bilateral, regional, and global matters. These include discussions on the Middle East crisis, Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, cross-Strait issues, and tensions in the South China Sea. Additionally, Blinken will focus on advancing commitments established by Presidents Biden and Xi during the Woodside Summit in November. These commitments encompass areas such as counternarcotics cooperation, military communication, artificial intelligence, and the enhancement of people-to-people connections.
