You'll be gone...': Nancy Pelosi's warning to Xi Jinping on Tibet issue
- In Reports
- 11:36 AM, Jun 20, 2024
- Myind Staff
Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is part of a United States bipartisan delegation that met with the Dalai Lama on Wednesday, issued a stark warning to Chinese President Xi Jinping. She stated that while the Tibetan spiritual leader's legacy will endure forever, the Chinese President will be gone in a few years.
News agency ANI quoted Pelosi, who is on a two-day visit to India, saying, "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."
Adding that the Dalai Lama would not approve of her comment against Xi Jinping, Pelosi said, "When I criticise the Chinese government, he (Dalai Lama) says, let's pray for Nancy to rid her of her negative attitudes."
Pelosi made these remarks during the public felicitation programme at Tsuglagkhang Complex in Dharamshala.
Arriving in India on Tuesday, the bipartisan Congressional delegation was received by officials of the Central Tibetan Administration at the Kangra Airport in Himachal Pradesh.
Last week, the US Congress passed a bill aimed at challenging China's assertion of historical control over Tibet and encouraging Beijing to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders to peacefully address their differences regarding Tibet's status and governance.
After the US House of Representatives passed the 'Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act', also known as the 'Resolve Tibet Act', the bill is now awaiting US President Joe Biden's signature to become law.
Regarding the Bill, ANI quoted Pelosi as saying, "You heard our colleagues talk about this legislation that was passed last week. We had been fighting this for a long time and in the spirituality of His Holiness, with manoeuvring inside the Congress, we made progress."
"But it's different now with the passage of this Bill (Resolve Tibet Act) because this Bill 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 added.
"They (Chinese government) are trying to erase the culture (of Tibet) by reducing the use of the language. They are trying something that we cannot let them get away with. I'll be gracious to the Chinese people, I don't know that they're up to this, but we do know that the Chinese government is, and we do know that they must get the message," said the former US House Speaker, adding, "This legislation sends the message, the House and the Senate and soon to be signed by Joe Biden, the president of the United States..."
On Tuesday, Michael McCaul, the Republican Chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the bipartisan US delegation, confirmed President Biden's intention to sign the 'Resolve Tibet Act'.
Gregory Meeks, the US Representative leading the delegation's visit to India, responded strongly to Beijing's criticism of their visit, asserting that the US would uphold what is just and fair.
"China can express unhappiness if it wants. We are going to stand for what is right," said Meeks, adding, "What is right is to make sure that Tibetans have freedom. They are able to return to their native land and they are able to keep their culture & history... That's what is important...."
On Tuesday, Beijing expressed serious concerns over the visit and urged the US to “fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the Dalai group.”
It also warned the US against signing the bill into law, saying “China will take resolute measures to firmly defend its sovereignty, security and development interests.”
McCaul said the delegation, including Pelosi, had also received a letter from the Chinese Communist Party, warning them against coming to Dharamshala.
“They repeated their false claim that Tibet has been a part of China since the 13th century but we did not let the CCP intimidate us, for we are here today. The Dalai Lama knows that this is not true, that Tibet is a part of China and the people of Tibet know that is not true. The US also knows that it is not true,” he said, adding “That is why we are here today, in defiance of that warning.”
Image source: PTI
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