China is Open for Dialogue with Dalai Lama to Talk About his Personal Future

China is Open for Dialogue with Dalai Lama to Talk About his Personal Future
Tenzin Choejor, His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, 2021.

Giulia Benzi

Tibet and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence. 

On Wednesday, the Chinese government expressed its position in terms of meeting with the Tibetan Spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. China declared it is open to talk with the Dalai Lama to discuss his personal future. However, the issue of Tibet remains an inaccessible topic. In response, the Dalai Lama has not shown intentions to meet with Xi Jinping. He plans to remain in India, where he lives in exile after China's occupation of the Tibetan territory in 1995. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, announced China’s desire to open negotiations with him. However, he explicitly mentioned that the so-called “Tibetan issue” will remain outside of this discussion. In his words: “What the Dalai Lama should do is to truly give up the position of splitting the motherland, stop activities that will separate the country, and win the trust of the Central Government and the Chinese people with concrete actions”. China is therefore attempting to open up a dialogue channel with the Tibetan Spiritual leader, but so far did not receive a response from him. 

Sources and further reading: 

The Times of India (2021). China says 'open' for talks with the Dalai Lama to discuss his future but not Tibet. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/china/china-says-open-for-talks-with-dalai-lama-to-discuss-his-future-but-not-tibet/articleshow/87629077.cms