Dalai Lama: India, China have to solve border issue through talks
JAMMU: Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Friday advised India and China to resolve their lingering border dispute via peaceful means.
“Use of military force is outdated. Basically India and China, the two big nations and neighbours, sooner or later have to solve this problem through talks …through peaceful means,” he responded when asked about China’s expansionist approach in Ladakh.
The Tibetan leader reached Leh on Friday where he would stay for a month and visit Thiksey monastery.
This is his first visit outside Dharamshala in the last two years.
On June 15, 2020, at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action in a hand-to-hand combat with the PLA troops in Galwan valley when the latter unilaterally tried to change the status quo.
Since then, India and China continue to remain engaged in talks to demilitarise the strategic region and de-escalate the tension between the two neighbouring countries.
China had already expressed its ‘ displeasure’ to the Dalai Lama’s visit to the ‘disputed’ region. The leader’s visit to the region in 2018 had also drawn China’s ire.
This time, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian has told the media that “the Indian side should fully recognise the anti-China separatist nature of the 14th Dalai Lama, abide by its ( India’s) commitment to China, speak and act prudently, and stop using Tibet- related issues to interfere in China’s internal affairs”.
On Thursday, the Dalai Lama had said that more and more people in China were beginning to realise that he was not seeking ‘independence’, but meaningful autonomy and preservation of the Tibetan Buddhist culture.
“Some Chinese hardliners consider me a separatist and always criticise me,” the 87-year-old spiritual leader had told mediapersons in Jammu on his arrival on Thursday.
But now, more Chinese are realising that the Dalai Lama is not seeking independence and only wishing China ( to give) meaningful autonomy ( to Tibet) to preserve the Tibetan Buddhist culture,” he had added.
When asked about China’s objection to his visit, he had said, “This is usual. The Chinese people are not objecting... more and more Chinese are showing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. Some of their scholars are realising that Tibetan Buddhism is very scientific. Things are changing.”
He also expressed displeasure over the prevailing crisis in Sri Lanka.
CHINA HAD ALREADY EXPRESSED ITS ‘DISPLEASURE’ TO THE DALAI LAMA’S VISIT TO THE ‘DISPUTED’ REGION