DHARAMSHALA, India.- A bipartisan delegation from the United States Congress met with the Dalai Lama Wednesday at his residence in Dharamshala, India, drawing the ire of China, which considers the exiled leader a dangerous separatist.
The high-level delegation, led by Republican Rep. Michael McCaul and including former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, arrived a day early in the hillside town where Nobel Peace Prize laureate has converted its headquarters since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. India considers Tibet part of China, although it hosts Tibetan exiles.
The meeting with the spiritual leader is expected to focus on the Resolve Tibet Act, recently passed by the US Congress, aimed at fostering dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials that could result in a peaceful resolution of the dispute between Tibet and Beijing. The bill will now move to the White House to gain support from President Joe Biden.
The visit comes as the United States and China have Increase in conversations in recent months., in an attempt to normalize strained ties. But news of the visit and the issue of the bill sparked a swift reaction from China.
After arriving Tuesday, the American delegation met with officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile, which wants more autonomy for Tibet.
Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday at a monastery outside the residence of the 88-year-old Dalai Lama, where the meeting took place, waving American and Tibetan flags in support.
China does not recognize the Tibetan government in exile and has not held any dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McCaul highlighted the importance of the bill, which he said shows that “the United States of America stands with the people of Tibet.”
Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, urged Washington not to support Tibetan independence and said the White House “should not sign the bill” or Beijing will take “resolute measures,” without elaborating on what could be done. be these measurements. .
“Everyone knows that the 14th Dalai Lama is not a purely religious figure, but a political exile engaged in separatist activities against China under the cloak of religion,” Lin added on Tuesday, urging the US side to “have no contact with the Dalai group in any form, and stop sending wrong signals to the world.”
The Dalai Lama denies being a separatist and says he only advocates substantial autonomy and the protection of Tibet’s native Buddhist culture.
The Tibetan spiritual leader has a history of interacting with US officials; He has met with every recent American president, from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama – except Donald Trump, who has not yet met with Biden.
Meanwhile, Beijing has repeatedly asked the United States not to interfere in Tibetan affairs and has He maintained that the people of Tibet have enjoyed social stability and economic growth under his rule.
The Dalai Lama is expected to travel to the United States on Thursday to receive medical treatment on his knee, but it is unclear whether he will meet any officials while there.
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AP writers Krutika Pathi in New Delhi and Didi Tang in Washington contributed reporting.
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