Sikyong Penpa Tsering Implores Continued US Support for Tibet During Ongoing Official Engagements

May 2, 2025 Featured News, News 1 Views

Washington DC: On 30 April 2025 (EDT), the third day of his official visit to the United States, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration met with key members of the U.S. Congress, emphasising the urgency of the Tibetan issue amid China’s intensifying repression and warning that reduced U.S. support could embolden China.

The day’s engagement began with meetings with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Sikyong thanked Rep. Schakowsky for her continued support, to which she responded with a strong message of solidarity with the Tibetan people. In his meeting with Representative Pelosi, one of Tibet’s most steadfast allies, Sikyong inquired about her health, to which she responded reassuringly that she was doing well. Their conversation then turned to the current challenges facing Tibetans and how to navigate these difficult times through continued advocacy.

A major focus of the day was a substantive meeting with members of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Present were Chairman John Moolenaar, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Representatives Neal Dunn, Carlos Gimenez, Gus Bilirakis, and André Carson. Committee members expressed deep interest in understanding the real-time effects of China’s tightening grip on Tibet. Sikyong gave a detailed briefing on the deteriorating situation: the expansion of colonial-style boarding schools separating Tibetan children from their families and culture; digital surveillance; and the suppression of religious freedom. He stressed the policies aimed at dismantling Tibetan identity from the roots.

Responding to inquiries about the younger generation, Sikyong, joined by Representative Namgyal Choedup of the Office of Tibet in Washington, D.C., and Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet, stressed that China’s efforts to erase Tibetan identity have had the opposite effect. Far from erasing their heritage, China’s policies have only deepened the commitment of Tibetan youth to their culture and cause. The issue of the reincarnation of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama was raised, particularly concerns over China’s potential attempt to appoint its own Dalai Lama. In response, Sikyong emphasised that the saga of the Panchen Lama should serve as a cautionary lesson to the Chinese government, demonstrating that such efforts to manipulate Tibetan religious traditions are neither accepted by Tibetans nor fruitful in achieving legitimacy.

Sikyong also stressed the impact of recent U.S. budget cuts on Tibetan programs in exile. He expressed gratitude to the Government of India for stepping in to support during this pause, but emphasised that continued gaps in U.S. assistance would risk undermining decades of progress and how a pause in U.S. support benefits China directly. He also underscored the broader geopolitical significance of the Tibetan plateau, pointing to its increasing militarisation by China and the region’s critical role in South and Central Asian security dynamics. He stressed that sustained U.S. support for Tibet is a strategic necessity.

Sikyong also thanked the U.S. Congress for its passage of landmark legislation, including the Tibet Policy and Support Act and the Resolve Tibet Act, which he cited as powerful tools in international advocacy.

The day concluded with a meeting with Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart and his staff, who warmly welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed their commitment to standing with the Tibetan people.