The U.S. Congress recently passed the Tibet Policy and Support Act. The bill reaffirms the U.S. determination to ensure the independent conduct of religious affairs in Tibet and its commitment to protect Tibetans from human rights violations by establishing a U.S. consulate in Lhasa and a Tibetan affairs office at the consulate in Beijing. The U.S. move also quickly sparked discontent on the Chinese side.
The Tibet Policy and Support Act was unanimously passed by both houses of Congress on December 21. The bill amends and strengthens the Tibetan Policy Act passed in 2002 and reaffirms the U.S. government’s clear commitment to protect the rights and interests of the Tibetan people with bipartisan support. The bill emphasizes that the U.S. supports the right of Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhist followers to freely choose and determine the succession and reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders; opposes and holds the Chinese Communist Party accountable for any form of designation of the future 15th Dalai Lama and interference in Tibetan religious affairs; provides funding for Tibetan groups in the areas of sustainable economic development, cultural preservation, and education; and formally recognizes the Central Tibetan Administration as a legitimate institution that reflects the aspirations of the Tibetan people worldwide. The bill also highlights that the “Tibetan Administration is a legitimate institution that reflects the aspirations of the Tibetan people worldwide. In addition, the bill focuses on a “regional water security framework” and encourages Tibetan groups to strengthen dialogue with the Chinese Communist authorities to address China’s construction of water resources in Tibetan areas that disrupt downstream water supplies.
Congressman James P. McGovern (D-CA), Chairman of the Congressional and Executive Committee on China (CECC), welcomed the passage of the bill: “We care about the oppressed, and we stand with those who fight for freedom. The passage of this bill ensures that the American people will remain a steadfast partner of the Tibetan people for a long time to come.”
Senator Macro Rubio (R-FL), co-chair of the committee, also noted in a statement, “The United States stands with the Tibetan people and opposes any move by the Chinese Communist Party to interfere with the religious process of identifying Tibetan Buddhist leaders such as the Dalai Lama. I would urge the State Department to use the tools provided by this bill to address the growing human rights violations in Tibet.”
China has expressed its firm opposition to this. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin warned the U.S. at a regular press conference on the same day not to sign or implement “negative” elements and provisions of the bill that target China and harm China’s interests: “We urge the U.S. side to stop meddling in China’s internal affairs through relevant issues. “
Tsultrim Gyatso, the Chinese liaison to the Dalai Lama’s representative office in the U.S., said in an interview with the station that the passage of the Tibetan Policy and Support Act represents that the support of the U.S. government and the American people for the Dalai Lama and Tibetans remains unchanged. The Chinese Communist authorities should restart dialogue with the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration: “This is very good news for the Tibetans. When it comes to the Tibetan issue, we are still negotiating with China on the middle way to solve the Tibetan issue, so this bill is a good opportunity for the Chinese government to realize that the policies that are being implemented in Tibet are wrong.”
According to Tshering Gyatso, the bill’s proposed “regional water security framework” is important for protecting the ecological environment of the Tibetan region and downstream countries: “Tibet’s position is very important from the point of view of Asian water sources. Although this is a U.S. bill, it is very important for the ecological environment of Tibet and the world. Now more and more people and countries are aware of the importance of Tibet’s ecological environment, and the passage of this bill is very beneficial to downstream countries.”
Bhuchung K. Tsering, vice president of the human rights organization International Campaign for Tibet, told the station that the Chinese government must realize that the Tibetan issue has not been resolved and that the international community will not forget the suffering of the Tibetan people.
The Tibet Policy and Support Act focuses on regional water security because China’s calls on Tibetan water resources have affected billions of people there in South and Southeast Asian countries,” Bhuchung Tsering said. The bill is also highlighted by the fact that the U.S. Congress authorized the State Department to investigate and issue a report on the impact of China’s dam construction on water flows and the Mekong River.”
Under the framework of the Tibet Policy and Support Act, the U.S. Congress requires that the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the Agency for International Development, the Director of National Intelligence, and the heads of other federal agencies, shall submit a report to the relevant congressional committees within 180 days to analyze the Chinese government’s strategy for building dams in Tibet, including the impact on water flows in the Tibetan Plateau Basin, and the political and economic stability of the countries downstream of the Mekong River.
According to the International Campaign for Tibet’s investigations over the past years, the Chinese government has built large dams on Tibetan rivers, including the Mekong, and has refused to join any international mechanism to regulate the flow of rivers in the region, denying other downstream countries access to water resources, Bhujung Tsering said.
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