Washington D.C.: Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) hosted the ‘China Forum 2025’ on 27 and 28 October 2025, an annual conference in Washington, D.C., convening scholars, experts, and policymakers in the areas of trade and economics, foreign policy and security, and human rights and political development.
Tsultrim Gyatso, Chinese Liaison Officer of the Office of Tibet, Washington, D.C., joined a panel on “Countering Beijing’s Reach: Transnational Repression, Influence Operations, and National Security.” The discussion was moderated by Dr. Adrian Zenz, Senior Fellow and Director in China at VOC, and featured Rushan Abbas, Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs; Frances Hui, Policy and Advocacy Coordinator of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation; and Edward Lemon, President of Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.
Tsultrim emphasised that while the Tibetan people are victims of Chinese Communism, their resistance has never ceased after seven decades. He highlighted a conclusion by Dr. Miles Yu from the Hudson Institute that China has failed miserably to win the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people. This resilience is largely due to generations of Tibetans standing firm under the visionary leadership and guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
He noted that Beijing’s modernisation has severely undermined the development of a free society in China, transforming the country into the world’s largest digital surveillance apparatus. Particularly in Tibet, advanced surveillance technology exerts immense pressure on the population. Multiple cameras monitor every individual through algorithm-driven systems, effectively categorising everyone and placing them within a massive digital cage. Tsultrim also referenced an Associated Press report that identified several tech giant companies that developed surveillance technology used in Tibet and other regions.
Tsultrim acknowledged that China has been able to influence governments, institutions, and individuals to restrict efforts aimed at raising awareness about these issues. However, he urged not to lose hope, emphasising the critical importance of democratic systems that can sustain movements to counter Chinese repression both at home and its transnational overreach.
-Report filed by Office of Tibet, Washington D.C.
