(TibetanReview.net, Jul14’24) – US President Joe Biden’s signing on Jul 12 of the Resolve Tibet Act, which trashes China’s bogus narrative about Tibet being part of it since ancient times and mandates US support for a negotiated settlement of the territory’s legal status, has been welcomed with elation by exile Tibetans. However, China has launched a flurry of blistering attacks on the US move, with its foreign ministry, legislative and political advisory bodies both at the centre and in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), and state-employed Tibetologists issuing a string of criticisms and condemnations, and vowing retaliation.
“Please accept heartfelt prayers of gratitude from the Tibetan people, especially those inside occupied Tibet, who will rejoice in the renewed hope and inspiration that today’s victory brings to their hearts. May the just cause of Tibet prevail. May non-violence and truth prevail,” thehindu.com Jul 14 quoted Sikyong (executive head) Mr Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration as saying.
He has vowed to campaign for the Tibetan issue through “non-violent means”.
In Beijing a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry on Jul 13 took note of the fact that the act “does not change longstanding bipartisan United States policy to recognize the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas of China as part of the People’s Republic of China.” Nevertheless, the spokesperson has maintained that it “grossly interfered in China’s domestic affairs, undermined China’s interests, and sent a severely wrong signal to the ‘Tibet independence’ forces. “China firmly opposes it and has protested to the US side,” China’s official Xinhua news agency Jul 13 quoted the spokesperson as saying.
“We urge the US side to take concrete actions to honour its commitments of recognizing Xizang as part of China and not supporting ‘Tibet independence.’ The US must not implement the Act. If the US continues down the wrong path, China will take resolute measures to firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests,” the report quoted the spokesperson as saying.
Xinhua also reported on a series of criticisms and condemnations for President Biden’s action, with vows of retaliation, issued by China’s National People’s Congress, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, and their corresponding TAR bodies.
A Xinhua commentary Jul 13 also accused the US of having “again egregiously interfered in China’s internal affairs by signing a Xizang-related act into law.” It took note of the fact that the “act claims” that “the United States Government has never taken the position that Tibet was a part of China since ancient times,” adding “this obviously endorses and emboldens the secessionist clique.”
Presenting China’s stand on the issue of right to self-determination, which underlines then US act, the commentary maintained: “It (the act) hypes up ‘self-determination’ for Tibetans. Yet, the right to self-determination was intended specifically for inhabitants of colonies or non-self-governing territories to fight colonialism and imperialism. It certainly cannot apply to an ethnic group living in an integral part of a sovereign country.”
“The act once again proves the United States is playing the ‘Xizang card’ to contain China,” the commentary maintained, while insisting that “Xizang-related affairs concern China’s core interests”.
Another Xinhua commentary Jul 14 roped in third world officials whose only interest in Tibet is to be available at China’s beck and call to support it on this and other issues like Xinjiang, Hong Kong and human rights. “Mozambican Ambassador to China Maria Gustava, who has visited Xizang, said that some Western media hype the so-called human rights issue in Xizang not because they care about the lives of people in Xizang, but for ideological and hegemonic purposes,” it said.
China’s Tibet experts or Tibetologist, being tasked to construct narratives to support the party-government’s policies and actions, have reiterated their false claim that historical archives show that “Xizang has been an integral part of Chinese territory since ancient times.”
The idea of so-called “Tibet independence” was initiated by the imperialist powers led by Britain in the middle of the 19th century, which the United States did not support at the time, maintained a Xinhua headline narrative Jul 14.
“In Xizang, archives, cultural relics and stories from local residents substantiate this obvious fact. A visit to the Archives of Xizang Autonomous Region in Lhasa helps clear any doubts concerning the issue. Consider three exhibits that vividly illustrate the central government’s undeniable governance over Xizang in terms of politics, religion and economy,” said the Xinhua narrative, citing UNESCO to justify China’s claim.
Yet another Xinhua narrative Jul 13 cited an article written by Zhang Yun, a researcher with the institute of history studies at the China Tibetology Research Center, which was published on that day, as saying “historical fact that Xizang has been an integral part of China since ancient times is undeniable”.
Shedding any pretence at academic impartiality, Zhang has said, “the Dalai clique separatist forces and certain anti-China politicians in the United States have been colluding with each other for a while, attempting to stir up trouble by attacking the historical fact that ‘Xizang has always been a part of China’.”