(TibetanReview.net, Jul09’24) – China’s foreign ministry has added its voice to Beijing’s criticism of US Secretary of Antony Blinken’s statement of greetings on the Dalai Lama’s 89th birthday on Jul 6, while its official media also took exception to his support for Tibetan people’s right to freely choose their religious leaders.
Noting that Blinken’s statement reaffirmed US commitment to supporting efforts to preserve Tibet’s linguistic, cultural and religious heritage, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has urged the United States Jul 8 to stop supporting or endorsing in any way the “Tibet independence” forces and their anti-China and separatist activities.”
Addressing a regular press briefing, Li has maintained that “Xizang” affairs are China’s internal affairs which brook no interference by any external forces, referring to Tibet by its colonial redefinition.
“The rights and freedoms of all ethnic groups in Xizang, including the freedom of religious belief and the freedom to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, are fully protected,” China’s official Xinhua news agency Jul 8 quoted Lin as claiming.
Condemning the 14th Dalai Lama as “not a pure religious figure, but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion” for the umpteenth time, the report, which also appeared on China’s military website eng.chinamil.com.cn Jul 8, also quoted Lin as calling on the US to “stop supporting or endorsing in any way the ‘Tibet independence’ forces and their (Dalai group’s) anti-China and separatist activities.”
Meanwhile, an opinion piece carried by China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Jul 8 took particular exception to Blinken’s statement for stressing that Tibetans should have the “ability to freely choose and venerate religious leaders without interference”.
It accused the US of being fearful of losing “a long-term agent on the “Xizang” front after the Dalai Lama passes away” to offer a disingenuous explanation that the recent US passage of the Resolve Tibet Act and the high profile bipartisan Congressional delegation’s recent visit to Dharamshala just after that last month.