WASHINGTON DC: President Dr. Lobsang Sangay wrapped up the first successful day in Washington DC, the capital of the United States. The day started with an event at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) titled Tibet and the Belt and Road Initiative: Lessons Learned from the Tibetan Experience with Chinese Infrastructure Projects.
President Dr Sangay highlighted the considerable social, political, and economic costs that BRI partner countries will inevitably endure for allowing Chinese infrastructure initiatives within their borders. He warned the nations to learn from Tibet’s experience and ensure that history does not repeat itself in the BRI partners.
He also met with Congressman Jim McGovern, a longtime champion of Tibet on the Hill and Senator Cory Gardner, co-sponsor of the S.821 Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act. He discussed various legislative vehicles that can be explored in both chambers of the Congress to further solidify the United States’ support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. Both members reaffirmed their continued support to promote human rights and political liberty in Tibet.
On top of the Hill visits, President Dr Sangay met with relevant high-level officials from the US administration. He ended the day with a dinner program with roughly 25 Chinese friends.
President Dr Sangay and the speakers from the Chinese dissident community vouched to continue working and supporting each other until everyone in Tibet and China can live freely. The speakers agreed that unity among the minority groups in China and the mainland dissident community will further strengthen the movement to hold Chinese leaders accountable and demand social justice and civil liberty for every individual in China.
He will continue his meetings in DC with members of Congress, administration officials and media interviews until November 15, after which he will head to the Halifax International Security Forum.
