A Chinese law professor and human rights activist, Teng Biao, has said German Chancellor Merkel was right in meeting the Dalai Lama. In an interview to the German newspaper TAZ published on December 11, 2007, Teng said the Dalai Lama works peacefully for the Tibetans and their autonomy and the “meeting with him is not only good for the Tibetans, but also for the Chinese.”
Teng Biao is a lecturer at the Law School of China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. He is among the few lawyers in China who have been active in working on human rights within China.
He added, “A meeting with the Dalai Lama is a message to the Chinese government that the world is concerned about human rights in Tibet. The Dalai Lama works peacefully for the Tibetans and their autonomy. He is not struggling with violence and not for independence from China. Therefore, a meeting with him is not only good for the Tibetans, but also for the Chinese.”
Following is a translation of the relevant excerpt from the interview published in German. The full text can be seen on www.taz.de
Meeting with the Dalai Lama Helps China
Human Rights Activist Teng Biaowww.taz.de
December 11, 2007
Question: China’s government has suspended the official legal dialogue on account of the Chancellor meeting with the Tibetan Dalai Lama.
Answer: This shows that China’s government is using this dialogue also to serve as a tool to enforce their views. If that fails, as it now threatens, in the case of Germany with discontinuation of the talks. I welcome the German Chancellor meeting the Dalai Lama. That is good and right, as also the continuation of the rule of law dialogue.
Question: Do human rights benefit from such symbolic acts, as the meeting between Ms Merkel and the Dalai Lama? Or, would it be better to have quiet diplomacy?
Answer: The Chancellor has behaved properly. A meeting with the Dalai Lama is a message to the Chinese government that the world is concerned about human rights in Tibet. The Dalai Lama works peacefully for the Tibetans and their autonomy. He is not struggling with violence and not for independence from China. Therefore, a meeting with him is not only good for the Tibetans, but also for the Chinese.
Question: Why?
Answer: If Tibetans become more radical than the Dalai Lama, it would be bad for Tibetans as well as for the Chinese. Therefore, the world should be more alert in terms of human rights in Tibet. I also do not believe that Merkel’s meeting with the Dalai Lama is very damaging to German trade relations. The more heads of state and government meet the Dalai Lama, the better.
December 11, 2007
Question: China’s government has suspended the official legal dialogue on account of the Chancellor meeting with the Tibetan Dalai Lama.
Answer: This shows that China’s government is using this dialogue also to serve as a tool to enforce their views. If that fails, as it now threatens, in the case of Germany with discontinuation of the talks. I welcome the German Chancellor meeting the Dalai Lama. That is good and right, as also the continuation of the rule of law dialogue.
Question: Do human rights benefit from such symbolic acts, as the meeting between Ms Merkel and the Dalai Lama? Or, would it be better to have quiet diplomacy?
Answer: The Chancellor has behaved properly. A meeting with the Dalai Lama is a message to the Chinese government that the world is concerned about human rights in Tibet. The Dalai Lama works peacefully for the Tibetans and their autonomy. He is not struggling with violence and not for independence from China. Therefore, a meeting with him is not only good for the Tibetans, but also for the Chinese.
Question: Why?
Answer: If Tibetans become more radical than the Dalai Lama, it would be bad for Tibetans as well as for the Chinese. Therefore, the world should be more alert in terms of human rights in Tibet. I also do not believe that Merkel’s meeting with the Dalai Lama is very damaging to German trade relations. The more heads of state and government meet the Dalai Lama, the better.