Government action on Tibet-China engagement

24 May 2011

China rejected his offer the next day. In an interview with China’s state sanctioned Tibet magazine, Zhu Weiqun, vice-minister of the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department labelled Sangay “illegitimate” and with “absolutely no status to engage in dialogue with the representatives of the central government”.

Zhu also said: "The content of negotiations can only be about the Dalai Lama's future, or at most that of a few of his personal aides".

There have been nine rounds of unsuccessful talks between the representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Communist Party's United Front Work Department. At the 8th round of the Dialogue in 2008 Dalai Lam’s envoys delivered a detailed memorandum, setting out the Tibetan case for autonomy. The memorandum had been specifically requested by China at the previous round. On 11 November 2008 the Chinese government announced that it will never accept calls by the Dalai Lama for greater autonomy in Tibet.

China’s emphatic rejection of any form of Tibetan autonomy and their statements that any dialogue can only be restricted to the issue of the Dalai Lama’s future represents a major embarrassment for the British government and its diplomacy in connection with the Sino-Tibetan talks.

The British government has repeatedly stated its ‘support’ for the Sino-Tibetan dialogue process as the only forum in which a solution to Tibet can be addressed:

"This Government will continue to urge the Chinese government to make progress towards meaningful autonomy for Tibet. We will continue to impress upon the Chinese government the importance of substantive dialogue with the Tibetan representatives. This is the only way to bring about a lasting and peaceful solution to the problems in Tibet"   William Hague July 2010


TAKE ACTION!

Please write to your MP and ask them to write to Foreign Secretary William Hague and ask :

1. Given that the Dalai Lama has relinquished his political role earlier this year and that Lobsang Sangay became the new elected leader of the Tibetan government in exile, how will the British government impress on China to engage with Mr Sangay?

2. How does the British government plan to promote human rights and greater autonomy in Tibet in light of China’s rejection of the Tibetan Memorandum on Autonomy and its statements that talks would be restricted to discussions about the future of the Dalai Lama?

Click here to find your MP and their contact details