His Holiness the Dalai Lama with US President Barak Obama on February 21
Photo: tibet.net
Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, published an opinion article on February 22 entitled “What is this ‘middle way’ the Dalai Lama preaches?” by Qi Xuan. The article was published a few days after His Holiness the Dalai Lama met United States President Barak Obama in the White House.
The article starts: “According to news from the White House, US President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama on Friday and expressed his support for the high monk’s ‘middle way’ approach.” And then asks: “What on earth is this ‘middle way’?”
The article continues with the writer’s interpretation of a definition of the middle way, saying that the “Dalai clique” has failed in their pursuit of “Tibet independence” by “extremist means”, and goes on to state: “it [the Middle Way] is at odds with China’s constitution and state system in every conceivable way. It is nothing but smoke and mirrors, camouflage and deceit.”
The article lists five objections to the Middle Way, and goes on to say that “since the founding of the Peoples’ Republic of China….The Tibetan people have gained freedom, equality and dignity. They enjoy the fruits of modern civilization and strive for a new socialist Tibet featuring unity, democracy, prosperity, civilization and harmony….Tibet has turned from poverty and backwardness to prosperity and civilization.”
Qi Xuan, the writer, then states “Only by persisting with the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the socialist system and regional ethnic autonomy, can the people remain masters of their land, that all rights of all the people can be realized, and the fundamental interests of Tibetans be defended and developed.”
He finishes by saying “The monk’s “middle way” contradicts history and reality. It is against the will and demands of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups including Tibetans. The approach is a dead end.”
This article was prompted by the meeting between the Dalai Lama and President Obama, in which Obama made a categorical statement that he “commended” the Middle Way approach and “expressed support” of it. Jim Carney, the White House Press Secretary, said, “The United States supports the Dalai Lama’s “middle way” approach of neither assimilation, nor independence for Tibetans in China.”
These statements constitute a strong refutation by the US of the Chinese Government’s attempt to discredit the Middle Way, and send a clear political message from the Obama-Dalai Lama meeting that the United States is against the assimilation of the Tibetan people and that the Middle Way is the solution to the Tibetan problem.
To read the full article click here:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2014-02/22/c_133135524.htm
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