House passes bill calling on China to restore ties with Dalai Lama

The House voted on Wednesday to approve a bill that calls on China to restore ties with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders.

The legislation, called the Promotion of a Resolution of Tibet-China Disputes Act, has received broad bipartisan support and encourages China and Tibet to resolve the long-standing dispute over the governance of Tibet.

The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk after being approved by the Senate last month.

“Tibetans, like all people, have the right to religious freedom – which includes freedom of [Chinese Communist Party] surveillance, censorship, and detention,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said in a statement.

The legislation will allow State Department officials to “actively and directly” combat disinformation about Tibet that is spread by the Chinese government, including by rejecting false claims that Tibet has been part of China since “ancient times,” the lawmakers said in their communicated.

It will also allow the US to press negotiations between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives on the future of Tibet.

Lawmakers noted that no formal dialogue between Tibetan and Chinese authorities has taken place since 2010.

As the U.S. seeks to continue its diplomatic talks with China, the legislation is a reminder that the U.S. recognizes the territory of Tibet as a country occupied by the People’s Republic of China and asserts that significant human rights issues occur there. China often rejects the Western view, accusing the US of interfering in its sovereign affairs.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) said in a statement that the bill will renew U.S. policy toward Tibet and advance negotiations to free the Tibetan people.

“Congress’ approval of this legislation further demonstrates America’s determination that the [Chinese Communist Party’s] the status quo – both in Tibet and elsewhere – is not acceptable,” McGovern’s statement said.

“I look forward to this important effort becoming law and working with my colleagues in the Senate and the Administration to ensure rapid and effective implementation.”

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