Dharamshala, 10th October: Sikyong Penpa Tsering expressed hope on Monday that Taiwan and Tibet’s ties may be strengthened. He expressed the hope that Taipei will provide Tibetan students with scholarships and encourage increased exchanges between the two countries. He said Taiwan is a wonderful site for Tibetans to learn Chinese and study international relations, and that studying there will help Tibetans comprehend China.

While leading the exile government in Dharamshala, India, Penpa Tsering stated that addressing difficulties between Tibet and China remains his top concern. He also urged for communication between Taiwanese and Chinese authorities.

In an interview with Central News Agency during his three-day visit to New Delhi, he stated there are several areas where Taiwan and CTA can engage, and it is not necessary to collaborate solely on politics; there are other matters on which they can collaborate. He went on to say that they need to figure out how to collaborate. He’s looking forward to seeing how they can make the relationship better in the future. The issue “will depend on what kind of invitation comes from Taiwan, and how negotiations are [conducted] between the Taiwanese government and us,” he said.

Meanwhile, Penpa Tsering stated that the Dalai Lama has no imminent intentions to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked if the Dalai Lama would like to visit Taiwan once the pandemic has passed, he did not give a definite answer.

Sikyong said there should be no use of force(between China and Taiwan), any conflict can be resolved through negotiation or nonviolent means; adding that cross-strait violence would not benefit either side and might escalate into a war with more powers getting involved.

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