(TibetanReview.net, Mar21, 2015) – Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Mar 19 met with a group of US diplomats posted in eight countries and who had gathered in New Delhi for a workshop. He expressed happiness over the fact that the USA, the leading nation of the free world, was still the world’s leading economy. He also expressed confidence that China will eventually join the free world, although this may take some more decades.
Answering a question, the Dalai Lama said it seemed that atheist Chinese communists were more interested in his reincarnation than he himself was. However, he added, their interest would be more convincing if they would find and recognise Mao’s and Deng’s reincarnations before concerning themselves with the Dalai Lama’s.
Asked about the balance between those who support his Middle Way Approach of seeking autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule and those advocating complete Tibetan independence, the Dalai Lama explained that most young educated Tibetans take a realistic view and support his position while others remained idealistic.
The Dalai Lama also referred to the absurdity of China’s claim over Tibet by pointing that that during the 7th, 8th and 9th centuries, there were three distinct empires: the Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan. Later, Chinese hardliners took to making the claim that Tibet became part of China as a result of royal marriages in those early times. And then, absurdly enough, they claimed that Tibet had become part of China when they both fell under Mongolian control in the 13th century. And, more recently, China’s former President Jiang Zemin said his side should simply claim Tibet had been part of China since early times.