By Kalsang Rinchen
New Delhi, February 25 – China has called for a renewed struggle against the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama and strengthened control over Tibetan Buddhism, state media reported.
Speaking in Beijing at a Feb. 23 – 24 meeting on “Tibet and other Tibetan-inhabited areas in the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan,” China’s top political adviser Jia Qinglin said the fight against the Dalai Lama must be “continued and deepened.”
Jia’s remarks come 2 weeks ahead of the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising day and 3 years since deadly crackdown on Tibetan protesters in March 2008.
Jia, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said “enhanced ethnic unity, improved social management, and social harmony and stability were prerequisites of economic growth and people’s well-being.”
Jia added that “issues related to Tibetan Buddhism must be handled well, and government-backed mechanisms that safeguard people’s rights and interests must be strengthened and improved.”
Also present at the meeting were Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu, and Du Qinglin, head of the United Front Work Department, Chinese government organ with which the envoys of the Dalai Lama held nine round of talks since 2002.
China blamed the Dalai Lama for the 2008 protests and called him “a wolf in monk’s robes”. The Tibetan leader denied the allegations saying China can send investigating team to his residence and go through his speeches and files.
The Tibetan leader also regularly denies China’s accusations that he is seeking independence for Tibet in the guise of Autonomy through Middle Way Approach.
Direct talks between Beijing and Dharamsala resumed in 2002 after almost a decade’s deadlock between the two sides.
Since then the two sides have met for nine rounds of talks to find a negotiated solution to the issue of Tibet, the last one taking place just over a week after Chinese leaders met for the Fifth Tibet Work Forum- the first in nine years – during which they indicated they would continue their hard-line approach in an effort to maintain a “long-term stability” in the region. The nine round of talks between Beijing and Dharamsala however have failed to make any positive breakthrough.
