In a move that has sparked outrage from China, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with the Dalai Lama at his residence in India on Wednesday.
According to the Daily Mail, Pelosi, 84, greeted the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader in a manner similar to President Joe Biden's recent interaction with Pope Francis, a gesture that seemed to surprise the pontiff.
China, which regards the 88-year-old Dalai Lama as a separatist, severed all communications with his representatives in 2010 and does not recognize the Tibetan administration. Pelosi's meeting with the spiritual leader comes at a time of heightened tension between the U.S. and China, particularly over issues of human rights and autonomy.
Pelosi did not mince words in her criticism of Chinese President Xi Jinping. "His Holiness Dalai Lama, with his message of knowledge, tradition, compassion, purity of soul and love, will live a long time and his legacy will live forever. But you, the President of China, you'll be gone and nobody will give you credit for anything," she said.
Despite acknowledging that the Nobel Peace Prize laureate would not have approved of her comments criticizing China's communist leader, Pelosi remained firm. "When I criticize the Chinese government, he says, let's pray for Nancy to rid her of her negative attitudes," she added.
Pelosi was part of a bipartisan congressional delegation that visited the Dalai Lama's headquarters in the hillside town he has called home since fleeing Tibet following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. The delegation, which included top Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, met with officials from the Tibetan government-in-exile, a group seeking greater autonomy for Tibet.
Following their meeting with the Dalai Lama, the seven U.S. lawmakers addressed a crowd gathered at a nearby monastery. They emphasized the Resolve Tibet Act, recently passed by the U.S. Congress, which aims to encourage dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Chinese officials in hopes of finding a peaceful resolution to the Tibet-Beijing conflict.
The bill, which is awaiting President Joe Biden's signature to become law, is "a message to the Chinese government that we have clarity in our thinking and our understanding of this issue of the freedom of Tibet," Pelosi said, to applause from the crowd.
McCaul echoed Pelosi's sentiments, stating that the bill reaffirmed American support for the Tibetan right to self-determination. "Just this week our delegation received a letter from the Chinese Communist Party, warning us not to come here... but we did not let the CCP intimidate us for we are here today," he said, to cheers from the crowd.
However, the delegation's visit and the newly passed bill have drawn swift backlash from Beijing. Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, urged Washington not to support Tibetan independence and warned against signing the bill into law, hinting at "resolute measures" without providing specifics.
The Dalai Lama, who denies being a separatist and advocates for substantial autonomy and protection of Tibet's native Buddhist culture, is expected to travel to the U.S. for medical treatment. It remains unclear if he will meet with any officials during his visit.
While Beijing continues to urge the U.S. not to interfere in Tibetan affairs, claiming that Tibet has enjoyed social stability and economic growth under its rule, the U.S. stands firm in its support for Tibetan autonomy. Despite recognizing Tibet as part of China, India continues to host Tibetan exiles, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.
Login