Washington DC: On 29 April 2025 (EDT), Sikyong Penpa Tsering held two successive high-level meetings on Capitol Hill, beginning with Representative Michael McCaul, former Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, followed by a meeting with the current Chair, Representative Brian Mast. Both engagements, held at the Rayburn House Office Building, were part of Sikyong’s broader diplomatic outreach in the United States.
Representative McCaul, a longstanding and vocal supporter of the Tibetan cause, warmly welcomed Sikyong and his delegation, which included Representative Namgyal Choedup from the Office of Tibet in Washington, D.C., and Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet. As a symbol of his enduring solidarity with Tibet, Rep. McCaul proudly displayed a framed photograph of his meeting with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in his office.
During their meeting, Sikyong shared a copy of his recent correspondence with the U.S. Secretary of State and presented an overview of the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) financial structure, highlighting the proportion of funding received from the United States. He emphasised the need for sustained and structured support for the Tibetan cause, particularly in light of shifting geopolitical dynamics.
A key topic of discussion was the appointment of a Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Sikyong stressed the strategic importance of the position and advocated for placing it under the direct purview of the Secretary of State within the new administrative structure. He also raised concerns about ongoing challenges faced by Radio Free Asia (RFA), Voice of America (VOA), and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), underscoring their vital role in amplifying Tibetan voices globally.
In the subsequent meeting with Representative Brian Mast, discussions centred on strengthening congressional engagement on Tibet-related policy matters, further reinforcing bipartisan support for Tibet in the U.S. Congress. This marked Sikyong’s second meeting with Chairman Mast, the first having taken place in December 2024 following the renaming ceremony of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Chairman Mast and his staff extended a warm welcome to the delegation.
During their exchange, Sikyong provided an update on the situation inside Tibet, highlighting ongoing repression and the geostrategic significance of the Tibetan plateau. He and his delegation also addressed the impact of recent budget cuts on Tibetan resilience programs, emphasising that the outcomes of these initiatives—and the soft power Tibet contributes—are well worth continued U.S. support.
To conclude the meeting, Sikyong formally invited Chairman Mast to attend the 90th birthday celebration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and presented him with a signed copy of Voice for the Voiceless as a gesture of appreciation.
