Amid India-China border tensions and military standoff, PM of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Dr Lobsang Sangay issued a warning saying that the border incursions by China will continue till the issue of Tibet isn’t resolved.
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“Till the border changes from Indo-China back to Indo-Tibet, it will continue. For the security of India, Tibet is very important,” he said.
In an interview to India Today, PM Sangay stated that since the occupation of Tibet, China has been trying to expand its influence to the South Asian region as well. He further said that after the occupation of Tibet, Chinese leaders including Mao Tse Tung had said that Tibet is the palm and the five fingers are Ladakh, Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and Arunachal.
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“They have taken over the palm and now they are taking over and penetrating into the five fingers. This is what’s happening in Ladakh as well. This is part of their grand old strategy for 60 long years,” he explained.
He goes on to say that India needs to learn a lesson and not trust the Chinese government. “You must have a business relationship with China, that’s a fact. But your business should not force you to yield more,” he added.
On the issue of a political resolution in Tibet, he explained that “A colonial power always uses some economic justification to occupy a country… similarly, they are using this economic justification in Tibet as well. But it is baseless.
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If the Chinese government is so confident that people in Tibet will support them, then, let’s have a referendum. I can say with certainty, a Tibetan leader will win hands down. It’s a fact that 154 Tibetans have committed self-immolation. They are suffering; their repression is so painful. This is what’s going on in Tibet.” he said.
Recently, US lawmakers have tabled a bill in Congress to recognise Tibet as an independent nation. A similar bill has also been included for Hong Kong. “We welcome any kind of support from anybody. But this is more of a symbolic gesture, however, there is a more substantive bill called the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2019 which was supported by 95 per cent of the Congress.
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It shows that support for Tibet in the US and even Europe and many Western countries are very strong. Unless you know the issue of Tibet, you will never fully understand China. This is a lesson for India and for its people to know what China is capable of,” said the PM of Tibetan government-in-exile.
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As reported earlier by EurAsian Times, a call for boycotting Chinese products have been made on several social media platforms. According to the Tibetian PM, celebrities should stop endorsing Chinese products.
“Celebrities, when they endorse any brand, including Chinese brand, are doing it for money. When you are doing business with China, you must make money from it. The trade deficit is disproportionately against India. That’s not the way to go,” he added.
He concluded by reminding about the Simla pact that was signed not just between India and Pakistan but also India and Tibet. “Since 1914, the convention was renewed between Lhasa and Delhi but in 1954, it was renewed between Beijing and India and it came out in the form of Panchsheel.
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If you look at the agreement, Panchsheel is mentioned only in the Preamble, but the trade route is still from Sikkim to Lhasa. Since Panchsheel, India had to withdraw its representatives as well as a small police-military contingent from Lhasa.
Since Panchsheel was signed, disappointment after disappointment came for India, including the 1962 war. India needs to learn a lesson,” the Tibetan PM concluded.
Reviewed By: Smriti Chaudhary, New Delhi
