China has reiterated strong opposition to any country allowing the Dalai Lama to visit under any pretext, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry stated in August this year. This comes after senior officials from the U.S. government met with the Dalai Lama in New York in August, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans.
The meeting with the 89-year-old exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism was anticipated to provoke a strong reaction from China, which tries to paint him as a dangerous separatist and opposes any official contact with him.
“China has made solemn protests with the U.S.,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning during a regular press briefing. “We don’t allow the Dalai Lama to engage in political separatist activities in the U.S.”
Earlier this year, China voiced strong opposition to a U.S. law signed by President Joe Biden that urges Beijing to address Tibet’s demands for greater autonomy, vowing to “firmly defend” its interests. The Chinese foreign ministry also criticized the appointment of a special coordinator for Tibetan issues, calling it interference in internal affairs.
Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama returned to his residence in Dharamshala on August 28, concluding a two-month journey for medical treatment in the United States and engagements with Tibetan communities abroad. The 89-year-old spiritual leader arrived at Gaggal airport, where he was warmly received by CTA President Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, and representatives from various faiths and traditions. Hundreds of Tibetans gathered to welcome him, creating a festive atmosphere.
Traditional Tashi Shölpa dancers performed at various locations, while monks, nuns, and laypeople lined the streets with traditional scarves and incense. Former officials of the Central Tibetan Administration gathered near His Holiness’s residence to pay their respects, with one official remarking that with the Dalai Lama’s return, “Dharamsala had come back to life.”
The Dalai Lama’s two-month journey began on June 21 when he left Dharamshala for knee surgery in the United States. Following successful treatment at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, he spent time in Syracuse recuperating for six weeks and engaging in religious activities. Notable events included the inauguration of a library and exhibition hall named in his honor and teaching at the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies in Ithaca, NY. Tibetans in North America offered him a long life ceremony and teaching at the UBS Arena in New York, where he addressed over 17,000 people.
Before returning to India, the Dalai Lama made a stop in Zurich, Switzerland, where the Tibetan community in Europe offered another long-life prayer and subsequent teachings to more than 14,000 devotees. He then flew to New Delhi, taking a day of rest before making the final leg of his journey back to Dharamshala.
Leave a Reply