Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 15: On the fifth day of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s 2025 general session on Monday, lawmakers pressed the President of the Tibetan exile government for clarity on back-channel dialogue with Beijing. The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Penpa Tsering reiterated the existence of informal dialogue but acknowledged that progress has been minimal.
Parliamentarian Tenzin Jigdal questioned the CTA President on the current status of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue and the work of the Permanent Strategy Committee as the 16th Cabinet’s term draws to a close. He noted that while the 2002–2010 talks saw nine rounds of dialogue, the Chinese side has since stalled the talks for more than a decade. Citing the Resolve Tibet Act, passed by the US Congress in 2024, rejects the Chinese claim that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times as “historically inaccurate” and pointed out that all the Tibetan regions under the traditional three provinces as Tibet. MP Jigdal asked whether the CTA foresees the need to recalibrate its dialogue strategy, given shifting international politics and growing global pushback against China.
In response, President Tsering acknowledged that China’s hard-line stance on Tibet leaves little room for optimism at present. However, he confirmed that informal backchannel contacts are being maintained, alongside strategic preparations to seize potential opportunities should conditions change in China or more pragmatic leadership emerge. He added that the Permanent Strategy Committee, established in 2021 after the dissolution of the Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Negotiations, continues to provide recommendations in line with its mandate. He added that while dialogue and peaceful negotiation remain the only path forward, strategic adjustments may be necessary in response to shifting political circumstances.
MPs also sought clarification on the future of the CTA’s Middle Way Approach, the division of responsibility for Sino-Tibetan dialogue between the Gaden Phodrang and the Cabinet, as well as the nature of back-channel communication and the functions of the Permanent Strategy Committees.
President Tsering said the Cabinet is reviewing what strategies to adopt in response to China’s hard-line stance and shifting global dynamics. He emphasized that any future Sino-Tibetan negotiations will proceed under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who will decide on the appointment of dialogue representatives or special envoys. Until then, the Cabinet, under his leadership, remains responsible for overseeing communication efforts. He added that members of the Ganden Phodrang also serve on the Permanent Strategy Committee, with reports to His Holiness submitted jointly by the President and committee members. The Committee, he noted, focuses on developing analyses and strategic recommendations.
On back-channel engagement, President Tsering stressed that such contacts are handled with utmost caution, carried out in stages, and strictly under his authorization. He emphasised that no unofficial initiatives are recognized, and extensive consultations are conducted to weigh risks and safeguards against both domestic and international developments.
In an interview with BBC Hardtalk aired on May 5, 2023, President Penpa Tsering disclosed for the first time the existence of a backchannel communication between the Tibetan and Chinese sides. However, in a subsequent interaction with a delegation of Indian journalists from New Delhi, he tempered expectations, stating that hopes for tangible outcomes remain subdued under the current political climate. He acknowledged that anticipating significant progress would be unrealistic given Chinese President Xi Jinping’s increasingly hard-line stance on Tibet.
The Permanent Strategy Committee was established in August 2021 following the dissolution of the Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Negotiations. Since its inception, the committee has convened seven times — the inaugural meeting in November 2021, followed by meetings in July and November 2022, April and November 2023, May 2024, and most recently in April 2025.
One Response
The so called back channel sounds more like the fabled ཨ་ཁ་སྟོན་པའི་རྟ་བྲོ་ (horseback bag). It has two sides that is saddled on the horse. He tells, “it’s not in this bag” inferring, there is something on the other. But when the other bag is checked, there is nothing there either! The back channel only serves the purpose of the CCP and not the Tibetans. The incumbent himself admitted that when he briefly met president Macron of France, he claims that the interlocutor asked him, what did President Macron tell him! There was another instance which the incumbent mentioned but I can’t recollect at the moment. The fact is the CCP will not talk any more with the Tibetans even as representatives of the Dalai Lama. First, Xi the dictator rejected the autonomy for all three regions of Amdo, Kham and Utsang. In fact, he proclaimed that Tibet has been “incorporated” with China! Secondly, communist China is feeling it’s powerful enough to resist western pressure to talk to the Tibetans. Trump’s destructive policies of economic coercion by imposing high tariffs has alienated all of its western allies and even India. With the western camp in total disarray because of the high tariff and Ukraine, communist China is enjoying its military parade which is to bolster its image by falsifying history. It was the Republican China’s Army who fought against imperial Japanese army and not the PLA, the Chinese communist army!!! The communists in fact rejoiced the mauling of Changkai Shek’s army by Japan because it gave them the opportunity to win the Chinese civil war and wrest power in China. However, just like the lie about the so called “golden urn” fabrication concerning the Dalai Lama reincarnation, it fabricated the story that it was the “Chinese communists who defeated Japan”!!! This is an outright lie and historians are ridiculing the propensity of the CCP for such unspeakable lies!
The Dalai Lama made a clean cut in abdicating his position as the political leader of the Tibetan people as he put it དགའ་བཞིན་སྤྲོ་བཞིན་ངང་ནས་ “happily and joyfully”. He refused even to remain as the Head of State of the Tibetan nation. As it were, there should not be representatives of Ganden Phodrang encroaching in the exile Government administration. I am sure this is not the idea of the Dalai Lama himself but this is like the Tibetan saying, ལུས་ཐར་ནས་མཇུག་མ་མ་ཐར་ got the body through but not the tail proverb! The Dalai Lama has relinquished his political power but his entourage is still indulging in politics! In order to avoid tarnishing the reputation of the Ganden Phodrang which is the most important institution of the Tibetans, we must look back to history. The wrangling between the Reting and Tadrak were spear headed by the Lama’s entourage. The ambitions of the entourage of both Lamas got the better of them and started the intrigues and political machinations. Likewise, during the time of the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, there was much jealousy between the བླ་བྲང་་གོང་མ་དང་བླ་བྲང་འོག་མ་ i.e the institution of the 5th Dalai Lama and his disciple Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་གྲགས་པ་རྒྱལ་མཚན་ which created the Shugden controversy. That is why, the Lama may not harbour worldly ambitions but the people who are serving him does and that creates serious problems. Besides, by virtue of being part of the Dalai Lama, they are highly respected and have lot of power. If we don’t create a clear line of power dynamics that is wholly invested in the executive and parliament, unscrupulous individuals could take advantage of their power as members of Ganden Phodrang and create a situation of catch 22 (neither able to reject nor able to accept). Such situations can besmirch the serene reputation of the Dalai Lama and drag his good name in controversy. In the present situation where selection of Special representatives are concerned, the Sikyong should approach the Dalai Lama directly and discuss and no one’s should interfere in the selection process. If the Dalai Lama is contacted by the Chinese, it is incumbent upon the Ganden Phodrang to relay the message to the Sikyong for consideration and reflection. So, that everyone knows the levers of power and act accordingly. Already, we see some people bringing the name of Ganden Phodrang when some one from the entourage does something amiss, this is neither good for the reputation of the Dalai Lama nor the high standing of the Dalai Lama institution.
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