(TibetanReview.net, Sep15’25) – Backdoor contact with the government of China continues to take place and we are not at a stage where the viability of seeking a middle way solution with China should be tabled for discussion, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the executive head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has told the ongoing 10th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in Exile on Sep 15.
The backdoor contacts take place under the responsibility of the Sikyong who acts in consultation with and on advice from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He has said utmost care is taken, with discussions taking place at several levels, when it comes to making the backdoor contacts, weighing all possible risks, with unauthorized contacts being not at all recognized.
If or when actual talks take place, any appointment of an envoy, or, as the case may be, special envoy will be made by the Dalai Lama, he has said.
The Sikyong has also explained that the committee responsible for making contacts with the Chinese government is different from the Permanent Strategy Committer in terms of their compositions and work.
The work of the latter, he has explained, is to prepare relevant documentary and other resources from the CTA (for talking with China), that it is not directly involved in the work of making contacts with Beijing. It also discusses the advices and guidelines received from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Its work also involves working out strategies for dealing with China and the committee is in need of being strengthened in future, he has said.
The main focus of the current session of the TPiE, which continues from Sep 10 to 18, is to discuss the annual reports of the different departments of the CTA. On its opening day, the TPiE mourned the passing away since its last session of Kasur (former minister) Tashi Wangdi, Kasur Tsering Dhondup Yangdhar, and former TPiE member Bawa Lungkhar Ngawang Tashi.
On its second day, the TPiE passed a resolution to express gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, referring to the excellence of his leadership of the Tibetan people since the age of 16, his contributions to the global spread of Tibetan Buddhism, and his determination to live another 40 years or so in order to continue to serve Tibet and humanity as he attained his milestone 90th birthday on Jul 6 this year.
On its fourth day on Sep 13, the TPiE passed an official motion to express solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet, expressing deep concern about the critical situation there under Chinese occupation rule.