Tibetans’ elected leader visited Washington, DC recently as US Congress members reintroduced a bill that will pressure China to end its decades-long, illegal occupation of Tibet through peaceful negotiations.
Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong (President) of the India-based Central Tibetan Administration, arrived in the US capital Feb. 2 and stayed in town for most of the next week-plus, meeting with Senators and Representatives of both parties, State Department officials—including the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues—Chinese dissidents, think tank leaders and others.
The Sikyong was accompanied by Representative Namgyal Choedup of the Office of Tibet. His Congressional meetings included the participation of International Campaign for Tibet Board Chairman Richard Gere (who took part virtually) and concerned ICT staff.
Resolve Tibet Act
During the Sikyong’s visit, four members of Congress—Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.—announced the reintroduction of the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act, a bipartisan bill that will push for renewed dialogue between Chinese leaders and Tibetan representatives for the first time since the dialogue process stalled after 2010.
Known as the Resolve Tibet Act, the bill’s reintroduction in the first month of the legislative calendar shows that resolving the Tibetan issue remains a priority for Americans’ elected leaders.
Tell your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Resolve Tibet Act!
Sikyong’s visit
During Penpa’s visit—his second to Washington since his election as Sikyong in 2021—several members of Congress posted on social media about meeting with him, including Young and McCaul:
I met with leaders from Tibet, the Representative of the @DalaiLama, and @SaveTibetOrg’s Richard Gere to discuss the CCP’s continued aggression and abuses of the #Tibetan people. pic.twitter.com/9yDFlEMzXZ
— Senator Todd Young (@SenToddYoung) February 9, 2023
As part of my efforts to stand with the people of Tibet, I reintroduced legislation that will push for freedoms for the Tibetan people and peaceful resolution to the Tibet-China conflict. https://t.co/5aFJMGtuJb
— Senator Todd Young (@SenToddYoung) February 9, 2023
CHM @RepMcCaul: “Had an important meeting with Tibet’s @SikyongPTsering to discuss my newly introduced bill with @RepMcgovern on promoting a peaceful resolution to the Tibet-China conflict.” pic.twitter.com/CO5LoNfcuo
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) February 8, 2023
See more photos of the Sikyong’s visit.
Learn more about the visit from the Central Tibetan Administration:
· Sikyong Meets Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Jim McGovern in DC
· Sikyong Presides Over Discussion on Tibet and China at Washington-based CSIS
· Sikyong Meets Senators and Congressmen in D.C, Calls for Support in Enacting the Tibet Bill
· Sikyong Arrives in Washington, Meets Under Secretary Uzra Zeya
The Sikyong also did interviews with Agence France-Presse, Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.