U.S. Dept. of State - IIP: The United States and China

Text: State Department Coordinator for Tibet Testimony
(Calls for dialogue between Beijing and Dalai Lama)

Julia V. Taft, U.S. Department of State Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs June 13, said promoting dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama was a key goal for the Clinton Administration.

"The President and Secretary Albright have continued to urge the Chinese leadership to enter into a substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives," Taft said.

China's president, Jiang Zemin, has stated that the door is open to negotiations as long as the Dalai Lama affirms that Tibet is an unalienable part of China, she said.

Taft told the senate panel of her work with other nations to create multilateral pressure on China to improve conditions in Tibet.

She stressed the importance of sustaining Tibet's "unique religious, linguistic, and cultural heritage".

"During the two meetings I have had with the Dalai Lama, he has reiterated his concern about the marginalization of the Tibetan people living in Tibet and requested that I devote some attention to finding ways to improve the lives of those still in Tibet through culturally sustainable enterprises," Taft said.

The Bureau of East Asia and Public Affairs with the help of the Special Coordinator will administer a $1 million appropriation from Congress to support activities that preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibet for Tibetan Issues during the next two years, she said.

Highlighting the deterioration of China's human rights record in Tibet, its poorest region, Taft cited the U.S. State Department's human rights report on China for 1999, as well as stories of prominent Tibetan figures who either left China or are being detained by the Beijing regime.

Statement of Julia V. Taft,
Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs
June 13, 2000

Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, it is a great honor to appear before you today to testify on the current situation in Tibet.

I was appointed 18 months ago to serve as Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. My policy goals are twofold: first to promote a substantive dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives, and second, to help sustain Tibet's unique religious, linguistic, and cultural heritage.

Mr. Chairman as you and your colleagues know, disputes over Tibet's relations with the Chinese government have a long, complex history, dating back centuries. Rather than focusing this testimony on the past, I would like to describe the current circumstances in Tibet, highlighting key developments over the past year, and what I've been doing since my appointment.

As our human rights report on China for 1999 makes clear, tight controls on religion and other fundamental freedoms continued and intensified during a year in which there were several sensitive anniversaries and events. The report documents in detail widespread human rights and religious freedom abuses. Besides instances of arbitrary arrests, detention without public trial, and torture in prison, there was also an intensification of controls over Tibetan monasteries and on monks and nuns. Religious activities were severely disrupted through the continuation of the government's patriotic education campaign that aims to expel supporters of the Dalai Lama from monasteries and views the monasteries as a focus of "anti-China" separatist activity. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that 2905 Tibetans left Tibet during the year, and Tibet Information Network reported that approximately 1/3 of those left to escape campaigns and pursue religious teaching in India. In fact, two of Tibet's most prominent religious figures have left Tibet during the past 20 months reportedly for these reasons. The 14-year-old Karmapa, leader of Kagyu sect, and the third most revered leader in Tibetan Buddhism, left Tibet in late December and arrived in India on January 5 to pursue religious teachings in India. Agya Rinpoche, former abbot of Kumbum Monastery, a senior Tibetan religious figure and an official at the Deputy Minister level, left China in November 1998. Among reported reasons for his departure were increased government pressure on Kumbum Monastery including the stationing of 45 government officials, the imposition of patriotic re-education, and a heightened role demanded of him by the Government in its campaign to legitimize Gyaltsen Norbu, the boy recognized by the Chinese leadership as the 11th Panchen Lama.

Although China has devoted substantial economic resources to Tibet over the past 20 years, it remains China's poorest region. Language problems severely limit educational opportunities for Tibetan students, illiteracy rates are said to be rising sharply, and most non-urban children are chronically undernourished.

Recent reports suggest that privatization of health care, increased emphasis on Chinese language curriculum, and continuing Han migration into Tibet are all weakening the social and economic position of Tibet's indigenous population. Lacking the skills to compete with Han laborers, ethnic Tibetans are not participating in the region's economic boom. In fact, rapid economic growth, the expanding tourism industry, and the introduction of more modern cultural influences also have disrupted traditional living patterns and customs, causing environmental problems and threatening traditional Tibetan culture.

Because of the deterioration of the Chinese Government's human rights record the U.S. Government introduced a resolution focusing international attention on China's human rights record at this year's session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) in Geneva in March. Unfortunately, the Chinese countered with a no-action motion which effectively blocked discussion of the resolution and a vote. We succeeded, however, in focusing international attention on China's human rights practices.

In addition to addressing the human rights situation in China through multilateral fora, the President and Secretary Albright have continued to urge the Chinese leadership to enter into a substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives. President Jiang Zemin said at our June 1998 summit in Beijing that the door to dialogue and negotiation is open as long as the Dalai Lama publicly affirms that Tibet is an inalienable part of China and that Taiwan is a province of China. Despite our repeated efforts to foster such dialogue and the willingness expressed by the Dalai Lama, the Chinese leadership has not yet followed up on Jiang's public remarks. Nevertheless, the Administration remains committed to implementing an approach to human rights that combines rigorous external focus on abuses while simultaneously working to promote positive trends within China. In the case of Tibet, President Clinton, Secretary Albright and all senior Administration officials have repeatedly urged the Chinese to engage with the Dalai Lama to resolve Tibet issues. I am convinced that this principled, purposeful engagement is the best means we have to produce results over the long-term.

We have also continued to raise individual cases of concern. Most notable is the issue of the welfare and whereabouts of Gendhun Cheokyi Nyima the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama and his parents, who have been held incommunicado now for 5 years. When we received disturbing, unconfirmed reports the boy had died in Gansu province and was cremated in secrecy, our Embassy made formal representations expressing concern about his whereabouts and welfare. Although the reports of his death were unsubstantiated and thought to be untrue by the Tibetan exile community, the Administration publicly urged the Chinese Government to address continuing concerns of the international community about the safety and well-being of the child by allowing the boy and his family to receive international visitors, and to return home freely. The Chinese government has continued to refuse to allow direct confirmation of his well-being.

In response to an inquiry from the Congress, the Chinese Government acknowledged the whereabouts and earlier ill-health of Ngawang Choephel, the Tibetan ethnomusicologist and former Middlebury College Fulbright Scholar who was incarcerated in 1996 and is now serving an 18-year sentence on charges of espionage. Throughout the year, we have continued to raise Ngawang's case and have urged China to release Ngawang on medical grounds as a humanitarian gesture. We are aware of strong interest in this case in the Congress. We appreciate the support and cooperation we have received in advancing this case.

Over the past year I have made it a point to learn all that I can about Tibetan issues so that I am able to ensure the effective presentation of these issues in our U.S.-China bilateral discussions. I have maintained close contact with the Dalai Lama's Special Envoy to Washington, Lodi Gyari. Throughout the year, I requested meetings with the Chinese Ambassador, however, such meetings have not been granted. I will persevere this year in my efforts to discuss with the Ambassador the Chinese government's views on social, political, and economic issues related to Tibet, as well as explore ways we can help get the dialogue back on track.

I've met with scores of people from like-minded countries, government officials, people from foundations and academia, experts in U.S.-China relations and NGO officials. Each meeting has produced ideas on how to improve the situation inside Tibet, as well as substantive thoughts about how to restart dialogue. Despite the fact that I am the only Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues world wide, my appointment has prompted other nations to identify counterparts to discuss this issue. I realize now that there is a wealth of knowledge and talent around the world interested in helping to improve the situation in Tibet. In fact, I recently visited Brussels where the European Parliament held an all-Party Parliamentarian Session on Tibet to discuss multilateral efforts and how we can best coordinate future strategies.

In January I visited Dharmasala, India in my capacity as Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration. The purpose of my trip was to evaluate and review the $2 million in assistance programs the United States provides for Tibetan refugees.

After receiving a very warm welcome, I had the opportunity to meet with many members of the Central Tibetan Administration to discuss the grant. I was overwhelmed by the tremendous sense of good will and community, especially among the younger generation despite the fact that this generation has never even seen Tibet. I learned on my visit that nearly the entire Central Tibetan Administration is made up of Fulbright Scholars. These bright, young adults undoubtedly had much more lucrative opportunities in the United States, Europe or India, yet a remarkable 96% have returned to Tibetan settlements to make their talents available to the Central Tibetan Administration. Equally impressive is how traditional Tibetan culture is integrated into nearly every facet of daily life.

However, having just been to Nepal in October where I met with new arrivals who were traumatized and had endured great hardship while crossing the Himalayas, I was anxious to visit the transit center in Dharmasala where all new arrivals spend some time before being placed in settlements throughout India. During my visit the center was crowded with refugees. The new arrivals were quiet, but far more animated than the refugees I had seen in Kathmandu just three months earlier. The rooms were crowded, but clean and orderly. Many were wearing the new shoes and dark pants they received after arriving at the Kathmandu reception center. Attached to the transit center was a small, three-room medical clinic for routine medical care.

The USG grant makes a very positive impact on the lives of these refugees by providing support for the reception centers, preventive health care, basic food, clothing, clean water and income-generating projects.

Additionally, I met with the Dalai Lama twice over the past year and I look forward to seeing him either later this month or in early July when he is here for the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. On a personal note, I would like to express how pleased I am that the Smithsonian has decided to highlight Tibetan Culture at this year's festival. It's through programs like these that people learn to appreciate different cultures and how important it is to preserve endangered cultures such as Tibet's.

During the two meetings I have had with Dalai Lama, he has reiterated his concern about the marginalization of the Tibetan people living in Tibet and requested that I devote some attention to finding ways to improve the lives of those still in Tibet through culturally sustainable enterprises. As I began to narrow down options on ways to be helpful, Congress appropriated $1 million to support activities which preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibet. The responsibility of the earmark was assigned to the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs and my office will have an important role in managing the money and monitoring the performance of these new programs over the course of the next two years.

The treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese government over the past 50 years has been inconsistent with international standards of respect for fundamental human rights. The Dalai Lama has shown enormous courage in his call for "genuine autonomy" within Chinese sovereignty. There is considerable common ground between the Dalai Lama and Chinese leaders. We urge the authorities in Beijing once again to establish a dialogue with the Dalai Lama. There are significant Chinese interests that could be advanced in moving forward on Tibetan autonomy. The Dalai Lama is still active and healthy; his prestige will be crucial in carrying the opinion of the Diaspora and most Tibetans in the autonomous regions. We believe the political will exists to achieve the successful implementation of a negotiated settlement.

Widespread knowledge of China's human rights offenses in Tibet has brought about pressure on China's leadership to explain its Tibet policy to the international community. My impression is that the situation in Tibet deeply troubles China's international partners and foreign leaders and that this is affecting China's diplomatic engagement in Western countries.

Chinese leaders may find that a more enlightened policy toward Tibet would be an important step toward enhancing the respect they have earned from the economic transformation of their country. It is my sincere hope that parties will resume dialogue that looked so promising in 1998. Preservation of Tibet's unique cultural and religious traditions depends on it.

In closing, I would like to thank you for this opportunity to testify today. I look forward to working with you another year on this extremely important issue.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)