China it made clear to the Dalai Lama there is no chance of negotiations for his return home until he publicly declares both Tibet and Taiwan are part of China and halts his “splittist” agenda.
“Only when the Dalai Lama really gives up his pursuit for ‘Tibet independence,’ stops separatist activities against China, declares in public that he recognises Tibet is an inalienable part of China and so is Taiwan, will we contact him for negotiations,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue.
The Dalai Lama has asked China to resume dialogue with his government-in-exile, which sent delegations to Beijing in September 2002 and in May 2003.
He has previously said he could accept three of China’s conditions for talks: that Tibet drop its call for independence, put an end to separatist movements and accept the legitimacy of the Chinese government.
But when it came to the Chinese demand that the Tibetan side accept that Taiwan is an integral part of China he has been non-committal, saying it was a matter for the Taiwanese to decide.
The government in Beijing meanwhile took a swipe at the United States for what it said was interference in its domestic affairs after the State Department released a report on “Tibet Negotiations”.
The report said that substantive dialogue between China and Tibet could lead to “a negotiated settlement on questions regarding Tibet.”
Zhang said it disregarded the facts and was irresponsible for “rendering help to the Dalai Lama’s separatist activities”.
“We demand the US side honour its commitment by visible actions that the United States recognises Tibet is part of China and will not support ‘Tibet independence,’ which the US side has repeated for several times,” she said.
The Buddhist leader, respected worldwide for his teachings and principles of non-violence, leads the Tibetan government-in-exile in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala, where he fled in 1959.
Beijing occupied Tibet, which it insists has been an integral part of the Chinese nation for centuries, in 1951.
