China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee on Saturday strongly condemned the passage and signing into law of the so-called Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act by the United States.
The Act grossly interferes in China’s internal affairs and severely undermines China’s interests, sending a seriously wrong signal to the separatist forces seeking “Tibet independence,” said a statement issued by the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee.
Xizang has been an integral part of the sacred territory of China since ancient times, and Xizang’s affairs are purely China’s internal affairs, which brook no external interference, it stated.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and with the support of the people of the whole country, the people of all ethnic groups in Xizang have worked together and achieved a full victory in poverty alleviation, resulting in greater social stability, economic and cultural prosperity, a better eco-environment, and a happier life for the people, the statement said.
Currently, Xizang’s stable development is at its highest point in history, and the people’s freedom of religious belief is fully protected, the statement said, adding that the region continuously breaks new ground in long-term stability and high-quality development.
“Anyone or any forces attempting to obstruct people in Xizang from pursuing a happier and better life will end in vain, and their attempt to contain and suppress China through messing up Xizang is doomed to failure,” it said.
The top legislature urged the United States to honor its commitment to acknowledging that Xizang is part of China and not supporting “Tibet independence.”
“If the U.S. side insists on manipulating the relevant Act, China will take resolute measures in accordance with the law to firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests,” the statement said.
U.S.-style bullying
At a symposium held on Saturday, members of the Committee of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC National Committee slammed the Act as full of extremely erroneous views and provocative remarks, adding that it was blatant interference in China’s internal affairs under the guise of “ethnicity,” “religion” and “human rights.”
The act fully exposes the United States’ sinister intention of interfering in China’s internal affairs and containing its peaceful development, the committee members said, describing the Act as a serious betrayal of the U.S. government’s commitment to acknowledging that Xizang is part of China and not supporting “Tibet independence.”
They said Xizang has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times and the people of the Tibetan ethnic group are members of the Chinese nation. This is a fact recognized by the world and will not change at anytime, they added.
Since ancient times, Xizang has forged unbreakable bonds with the rest of China in geographical, consanguineal, political, economic and cultural terms, they said.
The U.S. side and the Dalai clique audaciously distorts history and brazenly denies the fact of China’s sovereignty over Xizang. This is a typical act of U.S.-style bullying, they added.
In the 65 years since democratic reform in Xizang, historic changes have taken place in the region, they said, adding that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, Xizang has entered a period of its best development and greatest changes, during which time the people have benefited the most.
China is a unified multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. China has maintained ethnic unity, religious harmony and social stability for years, which prove that its policies on ethnic and religious affairs are completely correct, they said.
Tibetan Buddhism has a glorious tradition of patriotism and a complete set of religious rituals and historical norms governing the reincarnation of Living Buddhas that has been respected and upheld by the Tibetan Buddhist community, the committee members said.
The Chinese government implements a policy of freedom of religious belief, respects and protects religious traditions, and manages religious affairs in accordance with the law, rendering U.S. interference completely unwarranted, they said.
The process of building a new, modern, socialist Xizang that is united, prosperous, civilized, harmonious and beautiful is unstoppable, they added.
(With input from Xinhua)
