(TibetanReview.net, Oct01’26) – A bipartisan delegation of five US House of Representative members has on Sep 30 called on His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his exile home since Apr 1960 in Dharamshala, India, and also addressed the press, making the point that “we stand with you”, referring to the Tibetan people and their grim, decades-long struggle for freedom against the rising global power China.
“We came today in Dharamsala to meet with the Dalai Lama, to learn about an issue that we have supported for many, many years,” the ANI news service quoted Brian Mast, the leader of the delegation and Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, as saying after he landed at Kangra airport on Sep 29.
He has emphasising the importance of the visit, saying gaining a deeper understanding of the issue required members of the US Congress to see Dharamshala in person. “It’s important for us as members of Congress to do everything that we can to learn more about the issue, and that means visiting in person,” he has said.
On the concerns of the Tibetan community, Mast has added, “We stand with you.”
In their meeting with the Dalai Lama, the delegation members reaffirmed support for the Tibetan people and raised concerns over China’s human rights record and alleged transnational repression, the report said.
“Certainly China was among top issues, the freedom of the people of Tibet, his representation of freedom across the globe just as we believe that the United States of America is representation of freedom across the globe. We discussed a great many things,” Mast has told reporters after the meeting.
Mast has said the Dalai Lama, like him, supported US President Trump’s meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping recently.
“His Holiness believed that it was important that President Trump meet with Xi Jinping. They are two leaders of the world’s biggest and strongest countries across the globe. So yes, it’s very important, and it should happen.”
And he has explained, “It doesn’t take away in any way from believing that China should not be repressing its people, should not be repressing the Tibetan people or the Uyghur people, but rather working to embrace freedom and support freedom across the globe.”
Mast (Republican–Florida) was stated to be accompanied for the Dharamshala visit by Representatives James Gallagher (Republican–California), Jimmy Patronis (Republican–Florida), Haley Stevens (Democrat–Michigan), and Shri Thanedar (Democrat–Michigan).
Mast has also said China’s transnational repression was “far-reaching” and alleged that Beijing used surveillance, spies and police in different countries to monitor and suppress people. “They will reach anywhere that they can. They’ve proven that.”
Stevens has said, “We will not forget the story of the Tibetans. We will not forget the power of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, what it means to have peace and democracy.”
She has also said that it was important for the delegation – usually political opponents – to come together in “a bipartisan way for freedom.”
“I came here with a Republican leader who is close to President Trump. I am not afraid to say it because we joined and linked forces,” the Michigan representative said. “This is calling on us to dig deep, to recognize that this is a tough moment, that we are losing sight of why we need to invest and support democracy in the Tibetan people,” rfa.org Sep 30 quoted him as saying
Gallagher has called for self-determination and protection of religious and cultural freedoms, saying, “Stop oppressing your people and allow everyone to live free. Allow for self-determination, for freedom of religion, for freedom of culture.”
Patronis has praised the 91-year-old Dalai Lama’s wisdom and strength, describing them as important to the delegation’s efforts and continuing dialogue with Beijing.
The executive head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Sikyong Penpa Tsering, and the CTA’s Representative at the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in New Delhi, Jigme Tsering, have accompanied the delegation.
The delegation’s Dharamshala visit followed high-level engagements with Indian officials in New Delhi along with five other House members. Their meetings included those with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the ANI report said.