A US Congressional delegation, led by Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, is scheduled to visit Dharamshala next week to meet with the Dalai Lama. This visit underscores the continued backing of American politicians for the Tibetan leadership.
The bipartisan delegation, which includes former US Speaker Nancy Pelosi, will be in Dharamshala on June 18-19, where they will also meet with Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or political head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). The visit, planned earlier, comes shortly after the US House of Representatives passed the “Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act” on June 12, urging China to re-engage with Tibetan leaders, including the Dalai Lama, to resolve the status of Tibet.
Michael McCaul, a Republican and one of the lawmakers who introduced the Resolve Tibet Act, played a significant role in its passage. The bill, previously passed by Congress in February and recently reexamined due to Senate amendments, was approved by a resounding vote of 391-26 in the House of Representatives. It now awaits US President Joe Biden’s signature to become law, challenging China’s historical narrative on Tibet and advocating for engagement with Tibetan leaders.
Sources familiar with the visit mentioned that such a delegation wouldn’t proceed without approval from the external affairs ministry, especially amid ongoing tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The delegation’s trip coincides with the visit of US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell to New Delhi. They are expected to engage in discussions regarding the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) with Indian counterparts, adding another layer of diplomatic engagement.
Nancy Pelosi’s longstanding support for the Tibetan cause, demonstrated by her previous visits to Dharamshala, underscores the symbolic significance of this delegation’s visit following the passage of the Resolve Tibet Act. China, however, has consistently opposed such interactions, viewing them as support for separatist activities.
The visit serves as a reaffirmation of US support for Tibet’s cause and the Dalai Lama’s leadership, sending a clear message about their legitimacy as representatives of the Tibetan people amidst geopolitical tensions.
Sources By Agencies
