Tibetan govtin-exile holds back-channel dialogue with China

DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan government-in-exile and China are holding backchannel talks, signalling signs of willingness by both sides to re-engage over a decade after the formal dialogue process hit a dead end in view of antiChina protests in Tibet and Beijing’s hardline approach towards the Buddhist region.

The Sikyong or political head of Tibet’s government-inexile, Penpa Tsering, confirmed the holding of informal talks and said his interlocutor has been dealing with “people in Beijing” but there is no immediate expectation of a forward movement.

“We have had back-channel (engagement) since last year. But we have no immediate expectations from it,” Tsering told a small group of journalists, insisting that the talks are “very informal”.

“I have my interlocutor who deals with people in Beijing. Then there are other elements also trying to reach out to us,” the head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said.

From 2002 to 2010, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s representatives and the Chinese government held nine rounds of dialogue that did not produce a concrete outcome. No formal talks have been held since then. Another senior Tibetan leader indicated that the back-channel talks are aimed at reviving the overall dialogue process as it is the only way out to resolve the Tibetan issue.

The CTA leader, referring to the frosty ties between New Delhi and Beijing following the eastern Ladakh row in 2020, said the Chinese belligerence along the Indian border highlighted the Tibetan issue in India.