Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, March 21: A Tibetan lawmaker has raised objections to Bhutan’s recent use of the term “Xizang Autonomous Region” while referring a cultural troupe from Tibet. The concern was voiced on Thursday during the fourth day of the ninth (budget) session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR).
This issue arose following an announcement by the Bhutanese Ministry for Foreign Affairs and External Trade which referred to a cultural troupe from Tibet to be from the “Xizang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China,” who were scheduled for March 18 and 19, 2025, at the Royal Institute of Management in Thimphu.
MP Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar raised the issue during the session, highlighting concerns over the use of “Xizang” instead of “Tibet” to describe the cultural troupe from Tibet. She emphasized that such terminology influences perceptions of Tibetan performers and reflects a possible lack of formal communication between the exile Tibetan government and Bhutan. She further noted the disparity, pointing out that while Bhutan hosts a troupe from Tibet, exiled Tibetans are unable to send their own cultural performers to Bhutan, despite the presence of a vibrant Tibetan Opera Troupe in exile.
Minister Norzin Dolma of the DIIR voiced concern over Bhutan’s use of the colonial term “Xizang,” stating that a draft letter addressing the issue has been prepared for the Bhutanese Foreign Ministry. She also acknowledged MP Lhagyari’s call for strengthening formal communication between the Tibetan exile government and Bhutan.
The use of “Xizang” by Bhutan is not an isolated case. In September 2024, the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris faced public backlash after using the term in its catalog of Tibetan artifacts. Following criticism, the museum reverted to the term “Tibet.” That same month, the British Museum in London also labeled a cultural exhibition covering the period 500-1000 CE with “Xizang Autonomous Region.” After facing opposition from Tibetan activists and human rights organizations, the museum modified the term to “Tibetan Autonomous Region,” a change critics argued still adhered to China’s official designation and failed to recognize Tibet’s broader historical and geographical identity.
President Penpa Tsering of the exile Tibetan government, officially known as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), has repeatedly cautioned against the use of Chinese state terminology. In January 2025, he urged international media to avoid Chinese propaganda terms when reporting on the Dingri earthquake, warning that such language carries significant geopolitical implications. “We appeal to the international community not to fall into the trap of Chinese propaganda by using Chinese names for Tibetan places,” he stated.
Although the term “Xizang” has gained traction in Western institutions and international media, critics view this increasing adoption of “Xizang” in official and media discourses as part of China’s broader strategy to promote their narrative and reshape international perceptions of Tibet and promote territorial expansion. They argue that this shift seeks to undermine Tibet’s distinct identity, which is deeply rooted in its sovereignty prior to the colonial and illegal occupation by the People’s Republic of China.
2 Responses
It is sad to note that Bhutan, a country that shares much in common with Tibet, would resort to following communist China’s fake narrative and call Tibet – “Xizang”. How would Bhutan feel if one day China comes out with a fake name for her? This not an arbitrary scenario it is a possibility since Bhutan is one of the 5 Fingers of Tibet that China claims. Being a member of the UNO will not save Bhutan from China’s greed. Bhutan’s best bet is aligning with India or face the danger of invasion by China just like Tibet suffered.
Bhutan is a tiny nation with some seven hundred thousand population tucked away in the high Himalayas bordering Tibet. Through out history, the two nations coexisted peacefully most of the time. Tibetan Lama Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal travelled from Tibet and became the leading spiritual leader of Bhutan. Bhutan and Tibet had diplomatic relations when Tibet was an independent nation. The border between the two was open border with people from both countries travelling freely into each other’s territory. Bhutan is very much like Tibet in every aspect and can be called an extension of Tibet. Like Britain and America who share the same language yet divided by the language, Bhutan and Tibet both follow Mahayana Buddhism but is divided by the two different traditions, namely, Geluk dominated Tibet and Kagyud dominated Bhutan. Since, the Geluk and Kagyudpas have a rather chequered history in Tibetan Buddhism, Bhutan has remained aloof from Tibet. In exile the incident of 1979 when 28 Tibetans including the Dalai Lama’s representative were arrested and imprisoned further poisoned the relationship between the Bhutanese Government and Tibetan Exile-Government. Even though the Bhutanese Government made rather unsavoury accusations against the Tibetans, the real story behind the accusation is explained in Kasur Gyalo Thondup’s biography-“ THE NOODLE MAKER OF KALIMPONG”. Bhutan had initially accepted 4000 Tibetan refugees but owing to the unfortunate incident that was not the making of the Tibetans, Bhutan issued an ultimatum to the Tibetans to either accept Bhutanese citizenship or leave the country! Some 2,300 Tibetans chose to take Bhutanese citizenship while the rest were accepted by India and relocated to Kollegal Tibetan settlement in South India. Bhutan is a tiny country sandwiched between Chinese occupied Tibet and India. It is a peaceful Buddhist country like Tibet before the brutal and illegal occupation by communist China! It has no diplomatic relationship with the five permanent members! The reason probably is that after the illegal occupation of Tibet by evil communist China, it was rattled by the brazen occupation of its neighbour and it felt very vulnerable. It had to fend itself from communist Chinese aggression and Indian designs to undermine its independence just like it did to Sikkim. It has therefore kept itself isolated to preserve its independence. It is unfortunate that Bhutan has allowed the Chinese communist dance troupe from occupied Tibet to be branded with the Chinese colonial name rather than calling Tibet by its historical name! Being a sovereign nation, it has the right to choose its own policies without being coerced by the Chinese regime! Bhutan’s previous kings have invited TPIE (Tibetan performing Arts Institute) from Dharamsala. One of the girls, Yangkyi from TIPA caught the eyes of the king and took her to be his consort! The incident of 1979 is based on this matrimonial alliance that is alleged to have been the reason for the Bhutanese Government to make spurious allegations against the Representative of the Dalai Lama Kungo Lhading.
Lhading died in Bhutanese prison! As a Buddhist country like Tibet, Bhutan should refrain from taking sides. There is no country who knows better than Bhutanese that TIBET WAS AN INDEPENDENT NATION prior to the illegal and brutal occupation by communist China! When Tibet was independent, all of Tibet’s neighbours lived in peace without ever having to worry about its national security. So, an independent Tibet is in the interest of all of Tibet’s ancient neighbours! Communist China is a cancer that is infiltrating its malignancy all across the body of nations straddling the Himalayas to the Indo-Pacific! The Indians who bartered Tibet are the greatest losers with a border spanning thousands of kilometers from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. The least the Bhutanese can do for Tibet is not harm Tibet even if they cannot help their old neighbour!