US House of Representatives Passes a Tibet Resolution, China Considers it Intervention in its Internal Affair

U.S. interferes in China's internal affairs with Tibet resolution

2009-03-12 05:21:44

WASHINGTON, March 11 (Xinhua) --

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a resolution on Tibet in gross interference in China's internal affairs.

The resolution neglected the remarkable and widely recognized progress in Tibet in politics, economy, culture and society over the past 50 years.

It also repeated groundless accusations against the Chinese government over its Tibet policy and voiced support for the Dalai Lama's separatist activities.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu urged the U.S. representatives Tuesday to follow the basic norms guiding international relations and stop pushing the bill on Tibet.

"The Tibet issue is purely China's domestic issue. The Chinese government and people, as always, oppose any country or anyone to interfere in China's internal affairs on the pretext of the Tibet issue," he said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of feudal serfdom in Tibet.

Fifty years ago, the central government of China foiled an armed rebellion by the Dalai Lama and his supporters to block reform in Tibet and split the region from China.

On March 28, 1959, a new local Tibetan government was formed, freeing millions of Tibetan serfs and slaves, who accounted for more than 90 percent of the then population.

"Over the past 50 years, Tibet has undergone profound changes in political, economic and cultural sectors and millions of serfs have become owner of Tibet," Ma said.

However, with the backing of certain anti-China elements in the West, the Dalai Lama and his followers have continued to pursue either disguised or undisguised activities in an attempt to separate Tibet from China and restore feudal serfdom in the region.

On March 14 last year, followers of the Dalai Lama staged riots in Lhasa to put pressure on the central government. Their violence resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians and huge property losses.

Commentary: U.S. bill on Tibet confuses facts

2009-03-12 05:32:46

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) --

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a resolution on Tibet that is not only a gross interference in China's domestic affairs but also confuses the facts of the issue.

The bill disregards the history and reality of the Chinese autonomous region by trying to justify Tibet's dark ages, glorify the treacherous Dalai Lama and baselessly criticize China's religious policy. To sum up, the bill is poles apart from the truth.

The lawmakers who wrote and supported the bill should know that Tibet's democratic reforms bear great similarities to events that have happened on American soil.

Tibet's democratic reforms 50 years ago abolished feudal serfdom, marking huge progress in the pursuit of human rights much like the end of slavery did in the United States after the Civil War.

The lawmakers who understand U.S. history well should know that history recognizes Abraham Lincoln, who safeguarded U.S. unity, as a great president. But how would they feel if somebody labeled the Union forces' victory as an "invasion" and "occupation" of the South and demanded that Washington stop its "repression" of the southern people?

The lawmakers who supported the Tibet resolution boasted of their "moral standard" in human rights and said they "speak out from a sense of justice." The measure they adopted, however, serves only to smear human rights progress in Tibet over the past 50 years.

If those House members really want to "speak for" human rights in Tibet, they should observe the striking similarities between the achievements in Tibet since the end of serfdom and those in the United States after the abolishment of slavery.

The United States has enjoyed economic and social progress since abolishing slavery, while Tibet has also ushered in a new era of development and prosperity since 1959.

People in Tibet have seen their lives profoundly improved after50 years of development. They are now fully executing their rights endowed by the Chinese Constitution and the law on autonomy in ethnic regions.

The region also has witnessed comprehensive progress in social life, as well as thriving religious and cultural development.

At the moment when the world is suffering from the contagious financial crisis, most Americans understand that all countries in the world, especially China and the United States should enhance their cooperation to tide over the current difficulties.

However, the House members' approval of the bill has violated the basic principles guiding international relations and also poisoned the atmosphere for cooperation between the two countries.

Members of the U.S. Congress should respect the facts, root out their bias on China and show their morality and responsibility by not damaging U.S.-China relations.

China rejects latest U.S. Tibet statements, lodges representations

2009-03-11 16:07:04

BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) --

China on Wednesday said it had lodged solemn representations with the United States over the latest U.S. remarks on Tibet.

"We feel strong dissatisfaction and are resolutely opposed to it, and have lodged solemn representations with the United States," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu in a press release.

Ma's comments came after both the White House and the State Department made remarks and statements on Tuesday attacking China's policy in Tibet.

Robert Wood, acting spokesman at the U.S. State Department, noted the United States was "deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Tibetan areas" and urged China to take a "substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives."

"The Tibet issue is purely China's internal affairs, thus the Chinese government and people oppose that any country uses it to interfere with our internal affairs," Ma said.

Ma said the United States had not paid attention to the actual situation in Tibet and made groundless accusations against China on the Tibet issue. It rudely intervened in China's internal affairs, which hurt Chinese people's feelings.

In past years, with concern of the central government and support of all people nationwide, remarkable achievements had been made in the Tibet Autonomous Region's building in all fields, including economy, society, culture and religion, Ma said.

"This has won heartfelt support from people of all nationalities, including the Tibetan ethnic group, and cannot be denied by any people without prejudice," he noted.

Ma reiterated that the central government's policy on contact with the Dalai Lama was consistent and clear, saying the door for talks remains open.

"Whether the talks can yield any progress depends on whether the Dalai Lama thoroughly reviews and corrects his political proposals, and truly abandons his plot of 'Tibet Independence'," he said.

Ma urged the U.S. to observe principles in the international relations and commitments of recognizing Tibet as China's territory and opposing "Tibet independence," stop interfering in China's internal affairs by the Tibet issue and avoid harming the general Sino-U.S. relations.

On Tuesday, China also condemned the vote by the U.S. House of Representatives on the non-binding measure on Tibet, and called for the withdrawal of the resolution.

Editor: Deng Shasha

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