The State Department of United States in their report to the Congress on Monday concluded that China systematically banned the US citizens from Tibet. The state department’s report to the Congress was mandated by the Reciprocal Access to Tibet act passed with bipartisan support in December last year.
Report to Congress explained that China has systematically obstructed US diplomats, officials, journalists and ordinary people from visiting Tibet Autonomous Regions (TAR) and other Tibetan areas outside TAR in the year 2018.
“The Chinese government systematically impeded travel to the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) and Tibetan areas outside the TAR for US diplomats and officials, journalists and tourists in 2018,” said the report to Congress on Monday adding that even visits by US diplomats were “highly restricted,”.
“Chinese government-designated minders followed US diplomats and officials at all times, prevented them from meeting or speaking with local contacts, interrogated them and restricted their movement in these areas,” it added.
The Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act seeks equal access to Tibetan areas for US officials, journalists and common citizens which is routinely denied by the Chinese government. Under the Act, Chinese officials responsible for discriminating against Americans who try to enter Tibet would be banned from entering the United States by the end of this year.