United States on Tibet |
US on Tibet
The Administration
16 September 1988
The US State Department announced it 'would welcome the resumption of a meaningful dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government that would facilitate the cultural, intellectual, economic and spiritual development of the Tibetan people and their exercise of basic democratic freedoms.'
12 December 1988
The US State Department announced it 'deplores the violence that has occurred and the use of firearms against unarmed demonstrators. The United States has repeatedly voiced its concerns about the human rights situation in Tibet, both publicly and directly to Chinese officials.'
24 May 1990
President Bush defended his decision to submit a request to Congress to continue Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status for China, citing the lifting of martial law in Lhasa in April as an example of China's improved human rights record. In a White House Statement that same day, however, he said he was 'personally disappointed' that the Chinese Government had not taken more decisive steps to demonstrate a commitment to internationally accepted human rights, indicating that the lifting of martial law in Tibet was 'modest' and 'clearly inadequate.'
17-19 December 1990
Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Richard Schrifter, called on China to release all political prisoners, including Tibetan independence activists. He warned that Congress might not renew MFN status for China in 1991.
16 April 1991
President Bush meets with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, resisting Chinese protests. Presidential spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater states that 'they discussed the general situation in Tibet. We have repeatedly raised our concerns over human rights abuses in Tibet with the Chinese Government.'
28 October 1991
Congress passed a bill declaring Tibet an 'occupied country whose true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.' This provision which is part of the State Department Authorisation Act is signed into law by President Bush.
22 September 1992
Congress approved a bill to tie the trade status of China to democratic reforms and improved human rights conditions. President Bush vetoed the Bill despite stating in a letter to the House of Representatives: 'I share completely the goals of this legislation.'
January 1993
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Tibet was the first country mentioned by Secretary of State Designate Warren Christopher. He said: 'we ought to be more effective with China with respect to Tibet, because the violation of human rights there is very striking.'
27 April 1993
President Clinton and Vice-President Gore met His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
28 May 1993
President Clinton issued an executive order announcing that the renewal of China's Most Favoured Nation trading status in 1994 would be linked to 'overall significant progress' on five issues, including progress on human rights and 'protecting Tibet's distinctive religious and cultural heritage.' Other conditions include ending the export of prison-made goods, allowing access to Chinese prisons by human rights organisations and the provision of an 'acceptable' amount of information about political prisoners. President Clinton said he was 'concerned by the Dalai Lama's reports of Chinese abuses against the people and culture of Tibet.'
April 1994
The Dalai Lama meets Vice-President Al Gore to discuss religious and cultural rights. Clinton drops in on the meeting. The Chinese foreign ministry condemns the meeting as a serious interference in its internal affairs.
26 May 1994
President Clinton renews China's Most favoured Nation trading status, despite the fact that China clearly has not made "significant" progress on its human rights record.
6 March 1996
The US Department of State issued its annual report on human rights in Tibet, taking its toughest stance to date regarding human rights violations, and raising issues such as rape, detention of foreigners and halting the spread of monasteries, but reiterating the official position that Tibet is part of China.
20 May 1996
Amidst the most severe crackdown in Tibet since 1989, Clinton renews MFN status, in spite of evidence that the deterioration in human rights and religious freedom in Tibet have coincided with the decline in the USA's linking of trade to human rights
5 November 2008
Barack Obama is elected President of the United States. Mr. Obama had previously made statements both criticising China's brutal crackdown on protests in Tibet in March 2008, and supporting the Dalai Lama's awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. Click here for his statements.
US House of Representatives
1 September 1987
The Dalai Lama presented his Five-Point Peace Plan before the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in Congress.
12 October l987
A House of Representatives resolution 'Human Rights Violations in Tibet by the People's Republic of China' (H.R.5219) called for an end to human rights violations in Tibet, active support for the Dalai Lama's efforts to negotiate, and the release of all political prisoners in Tibet.
16 September 1988
Congress passed S.Con.Res.129 'expressing the support of the Congress for the Dalai Lama and his proposal to promote peace, protect the environment, and gain democracy for the people of Tibet.'
22 December 1988
A letter from leading members of the House to Premier Li Peng requested 'a Governmental account of the circumstances surrounding the December 10th Incident, including a description of your Government's plans for punishing those found responsible for ordering and carrying out the shootings.'
3 March 1989
A Congressional Staff Delegation issued a report on its visit to Tibetan refugee settlements in India and Nepal; recommending a plan for Congressional action, including the promotion of United Nations Observer status for Tibet and plans for a Tibetan Voice of America radio service.
16 May 1989
Congress passed H.R.63 urging China to lift martial law, admit foreign journalists and human rights monitors to Tibet, allow access to prisons, and to support the Dalai Lama's initiative to resolve the Tibetan situation through the process of negotiations.
29 June 1989
The House unanimously passed an amendment to the Foreign Aid Authorisation Act (H.Res.2655), proposing specific sanctions to be taken by the US Government against the Government of the People¹s Republic of China (PRC). In this amendment, it is demanded that economic sanctions taken against the PRC must be explicitly linked to the situation in Tibet, specifically in relation to whether martial law is lifted, Tibet is open to foreigners, Tibetan political prisoners released and whether the PRC enters into negotiations with representatives of the Dalai Lama on a settlement to the Tibetan question.
28 October 1990
An amendment to the Legal Immigration Act H.R.4300 which grants 1,000 immigrant visas to Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal. This bill is passed by both House and Senate, and then signed by President Bush.
14 November 1991
Three hundred members of the House of Representatives urged the Secretary of State, James Baker, to press China for the release of political prisoners in China and Tibet.
8 July 1992
The House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee recognised the marginalisation of Tibetans in their homeland resulting from population transfer into Tibet, in the report to H.R.5318.
12 August 1992
A Congressional staff delegation issued a report calling for US support for the Tibetan people's right to self-determination.
September 1992
Both Democrat and Republican members of the House send a letter to Premier Li Peng 'strongly condemning the human rights violations taking place in Tibet' and urging that 'the basic rights of all Tibetans be respected.' One member said: 'what had earlier been an obscure issue in the US Congress is now a cause that enjoys unanimous and bipartisan support in the House of Representatives and the Senate.'
26 July 1993
House of Representatives passed a resolution opposing Beijing's bid for the 2000 Olympics (H.R.188), including a section on Tibet.
20 July 1995
The House approved the China Policy Act, calling upon the President to urge China to improve human rights, adhere to nuclear non-proliferation agreements, end coercive birth control practices, respect the rights of Tibetans and other ethnic minorities.
US Senate
12 October 1987
A compromise Bill on 'Human Rights Violations in Tibet' added the further demand that defence sales to China 'shall take into account the extent to which the Government of the People¹s Republic of China is acting in good faith and in a timely manner to resolve human rights issues in Tibet.'
22 December 1987
Congress passed and President Bush signed into law, Section 1234 of the Foreign Relations Authorisation Act (Fiscal Years 1988-89), which links defence sales to human rights abuses and provides for financial aid and Fulbright scholarships for Tibetan refugees.
The Senate Delegation to the People's Republic of China, led by Senator Patrick Leahy, reported on its fact-finding mission to Tibet: 'The Delegation is convinced that the Congress, the Administration and the human rights community should be as forceful in deploring China's behaviour in Tibet as it has in rightfully criticising Soviet treatment of Jews and political dissidents. We must not fail to stand by any person whose human rights are being violated for political or other reasons in Tibet, as we would for anyone in the same condition anywhere in the world.' Senator Leahy published a list of over 100 Tibetan political prisoners, with the hope that every member of the Senate would adopt one prisoner.
15 March 1989
4 May 1989
Senate resolution S.Res.928 passed, establishing a Voice of America Tibet Service and renewing Fulbright scholarships for Tibetans to study in the United States. These provisions became law.
13 May 1990
Congress passed S.J.Res.275, designating 13 May 1990 as the 'National Day in Support of Freedom and Human Rights in China and Tibet.'
27 October 1990
A $1 million humanitarian aid package (worth a minimum of $500,000) is designated for Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal as part of the Foreign Aid Bill. Passed by both the House and Senate, and then signed by President Bush.
18 April 1991
The Senate passed a resolution on the day the Dalai Lama delivered his address in the Capital Rotunda; declaring that 'all Americans are united on the goals of freedom and human rights for Tibet.' The use of the term 'freedom' indicates clear support of the Tibetans' political aspirations. Previous statements protested against human rights abuses, but were careful to avoid questions of Tibet's status.
18 March 1992
The Senate unanimously adopted S.Res.271, calling upon the Bush Administration to 'vigorously condemn' Beijing's human rights abuses in Tibet in all appropriate international forums.
1 April 1992
Congress appropriated $1.5 million to Tibetan refugees for 1992. This was later signed into law as part of the Continuing Resolution Providing Operations Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 1992-93.
28 July 1992
The Senate held its first ever hearing that was solely devoted to the question of the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Claiborne Pell, Chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: 'American policy has not been true to the Tibetans.'
6 August 1993
Thirty-four senators led by Edward Kennedy issued an appeal calling for the release of Gendun Rinchen, Lobsang Yonten and Damchoe Pema. All three had been released by January 1994.
October 2007
The Dalai Lama is awarded the US Congressional Medal of Honour. To read his acceptance speech, click here.
