Photo: Courtesy of the Chinese Embassy in Canada

The Chinese Embassy in Canada on Saturday expressed strong disapproval of and firm opposition to Canada's move to allow the so-called Tibetan "government-in-exile" leader Penpa Tsering to visit the country and to make arrangements for him to testify before the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. 

The embassy spokesperson said that the "Tibetan government-in-exile" is a separatist political organization with the aim of achieving "Tibet independence." It completely violates the Chinese constitution and laws and is not recognized by any country in the world. As the leader of the organization, Tsering is a downright anti-China separatist whose purpose of visiting is to sell the idea of "Tibet independence" and advance the internationalization of Tibet-related issues. In essence, he is engaged in anti-China separatist activities. At the testimonial, Tsering openly claimed that "Tibet is not part of China," once again exposing himself as a separatist calling for "Tibetan independence."

"Regarding the so-called Tibet-China Dialogue, what I want to stress is that we do not recognize any Tibetan 'government-in-exile,' and the central government will never negotiate with such an illegal organization," the spokesperson said, adding that only the central government and the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region are the representatives of the Tibetan people, and no one else has the right to represent the Tibetan people.

As to "the reincarnation of the Penchan Lama," the Chinese government upholds the policy of religious freedom, including respecting and protecting the reincarnation system as the Tibetan Buddhist path of inheritance.

The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and Penchan Lama has formed a complete system and procedure in the past centuries, and it has to be conducted in accordance with the historical system, religious rules as well as within China's rules and laws, the spokesperson said. 

The 14th Dalai Lama has fashioned himself as an anti-China separatist under the guise of religion. In order to carry out anti-China separatist activities, he dismantled religious rules and neglected the historical system and declared a children as "the reincarnation of the Penchan Lama while overseas without authorization, which is illegal and invalid. The so-called reincarnation of the Penchan Lama is just a regular Chinese citizen who is living an average life, the spokesperson said.

At present, Xizang enjoys social stability and economic prosperity and people there live happy lives. All residents in Xizang from various ethnic minorities enjoy full religious freedom. The Chinese government pays great attention to the protection and development of Tibetan culture, the learning and usage of the Tibetan language has been fully enshrined under law. The situation of human rights in the region is also at its all-time best. That is a fact that any person not blinded by prejudice would easily recognize, the spokesperson noted.    

I have to reiterate that Xizang is an inalienable part of China and it is a fact recognized by many countries. Xizang's affairs are purely China's domestic affairs that allow for no interference from the outside. China requires Canada to immediately stop interfering in China's domestic affairs over Xizang-related issues, while damaging the stability in Xizang, and to stop providing support and a platform for separatists on which to carry out their anti-China separatist activities, or China will be compelled to respond accordingly, the spokesperson said.

Global Times