Beijing, March 13 – China on Tuesday angrily rejected the Dalai Lama’s criticism of the strategic Qinghai-Tibet Railway and asked him to “face up to history” and do the “right” things in his lifetime that will benefit the Tibetan people.
“We hope the Dalai Lama can face up to history and make right judgement according to the times and review his basic political propositions so as to make right actions so as to do more things that are conducive to the Tibetan people in his life,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said.
Gang was responding to comments made by the Dalai Lama on Saturday on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Tibetan “uprising” against Chinese rule, where he criticised the railway line to Tibet.
“The Dalai Lama been on exile abroad, engaging in activities undermining the unity of the motherland,” he said on the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
The Dalai Lama had criticised China for opening the railways to link Tibet with China’s densely populated east, saying it had led to more outsiders flooding the region.
“Regardless of the development of Tibet, the Dalai Lama sticks to his wrong political ideas,” Qin said, implying that the fast-aging Tibetan Buddhist was wrong in seeking “Tibetan independence.”
“During the past 50 years, Tibet has made great progress in political, economic and social undertakings, which is recognised by all.
“Tibet is moving ahead and its development cannot be checked by anybody,” the spokesman asserted.
According to reports here, the Dalai Lama had said that there was nothing wrong with infrastructure development of the deeply poor region.
“However, it is a source of deep concern that ever since the railway line became operational (last July), Tibet has seen a further increase in Chinese population transfer,” he said.
The Qinghai-Tibet railway stretches 1,956 kilometres from Xining to Lhasa. About 960 kilometres is located 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 meters, at least 200 metres higher than the Peruvian Railway in the Andes, the former world’s highest track.
