Dharamsala, June 21 – The Australian Tibet Council urged Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to discuss “the future of Tibet” with visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. “Specifically, ATC has argued that Xi Jinping, the man almost certain to succeed Hu Jintao as President of China, must be encouraged to use his influence to progress the currently stalled dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama,” the ATC said in press statement.
“With Australia’s economic future increasingly dependent on China’s long-term stability and prosperity, skillful diplomacy over Tibet is of critical importance,” said Paul Bourke, Executive Officer of the Australia Tibet Council. “The Prime Minister would do well to recall a statement from his party’s own manifesto: ‘Effective human rights diplomacy supports international and regional security and is in Australia’s national interest’.”
The ATC further said the failure of China’s policies in Tibet, including ongoing cultural repression have fanned tensions and remain a constant threat to China’s stability.
Xi is the top-ranking member of the Communist Party secretariat, China’s Vice President, Principal of the Central Party School (the training ground for Communist Party officials) and the sixth ranked member of the Politburo Standing Committee (China’s de facto top power organ). He is expected to succeed Hu Jintao as President in 2013.
Xi is travelling with a delegation of 250 business leaders and will address an all-day economic forum in the Great Hall of Parliament House Monday, organized by the Australia-China Business Council. He is also expected to meet the Prime Minister today.
Meanwhile, the Tibetans in Australia have sent an open letter to Xi asking China to engage in talks with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Tibetans wrote that they are “saddened by the lack of progress towards a mutually agreeable resolution for Tibet.”
“His Holiness the Dalai Lama has extended a pragmatic and conciliatory hand to the Chinese leadership and is sincere in his endeavours to find a solution of equal benefit to both Chinese and Tibetan people. We urge you to do all within your power to encourage President Hu Jintao to meet with the His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to work constructively and in good faith towards a peaceful and mutually agreeable settlement,” the letter read.
