China vowed to fiercely protect its interests in the face of a U.S. bill that President Joe Biden signed recently, which urges China to settle a conflict over Tibet’s aspirations for more autonomy.
Biden officially signed into law the Tibet Dispute Act, a piece of legislation that has been languishing since 2010 and aims to encourage China to resume negotiations with Tibetan leaders regarding the Himalayan region and the hopes and dreams of the Tibetan people regarding their historical, cultural, religious, and linguistic identity.
Legal precedent seems to cast doubt on Washington’s recognition of Tibet as an integral component of China, according to experts. The United States has long condemned Chinese human rights abuses in the isolated territory bordering India and has backed the Tibetan people’s freedom to pursue their faith and culture freely.
According to China’s foreign ministry, the legislation gravely misleads the “Tibet independence” factions, meddles in China’s internal affairs, and harms China’s interests.
According to China’s foreign ministry, the United States should not carry out the Act. In the event that the United States persists in its current course of action, China will vigorously protect its independence, national security, and economic interests.
Many see religious and ethnic tensions as driving forces in the China-Tibet dispute.
The bulk of Chinese people are Han Chinese, whereas Tibetans make up the original occupants of the Tibetan plateau. Since the majority of Chinese citizens are Han Chinese, the government has a checkered past when it comes to treating ethnic minorities, such as the Tibetans, fairly. The majority of ethnic Han Chinese are not Buddhists, in contrast to the almost universal practice of Buddhism among Tibetans. Furthermore, religious movements in China have a history of persecution by the government. This is particularly true of groups with a large number of adherents and the ability to become political organizations that may challenge the regime’s control. Such a devoted following and life-altering power are inherent in Tibetan Buddhism. It is why the media portrayal of the Tibet conflict is often one of violent religious and ethnic strife. Although they are elements of the dispute, they are more accurately characterized as lingering effects or even results of it.