Back Channel Communications Opened
Back channel contacts were opened as China and India are engaged in a military confrontation in Ladakh. According to the head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the Tibetan government-in-exile has established back channel communications with China to examine ways to find a resolution to the Tibet issue, but no quick progress is anticipated.
Ongoing Dialogue
The political leader of the government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering, is based in this town in Himachal Pradesh. He stated that his interlocutor has been in contact with “people in Beijing” and that “other elements” on the Chinese side have attempted to get in touch with the Tibetan leadership. Since last year, we have had back channels of communication, but we don’t have any imminent expectations. It must be a long-term plan. We maintain contact, as it has been nearly a year since we began using the back channels,” Tsering stated.
No Imminent Expectations
It’s not us reaching out to the Chinese; rather, it’s them reaching out to us. But now, to hold out hope for something? Tsering addressed a small number of reporters at his Dharamshala office, “It is not realistic.”
Informal Interactions
The back channel conversations, which Tsering referred to as “very informal,” were the first interaction between the CTA and Chinese authorities since formal negotiations between the Dalai Lama’s envoy and Chinese representatives collapsed in 2010 following nine rounds of discussions. The Tibetan minister for information and international affairs, Norzin Dolma, also confirmed the backchannel discussions but stated that there is no guarantee that these contacts will result in a “concrete or substantive outcome.”
Historical Context
According to Dolma, in 2008, the Tibetan side made formal suggestions to China “in terms of the middle way policy” and delivered a document known as the “memorandum on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people” during formal talks that took place between 2002 and 2010. After China expressed concerns that these proposals might be a demand for “independence in disguise,” the CTA formally sent a note to Beijing in an attempt to clear up any misunderstandings before the talks came to an abrupt conclusion.
Military Standoff and Relations
The start of back channel communications coincides with a military standoff between China and India in the Ladakh area of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which has caused a six-decade low in bilateral ties. Since the confrontation started in May 2020, the Chinese side has increased its military presence in a number of places, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and other areas that are part of Tibet’s historical borders.
Collaboration with India
Tsering stated that both parties have “always enjoyed a very transparent relationship” and that the CTA collaborates closely on the Tibet issue with the Indian security agencies and the minister of external affairs. He also admitted that the Tibetan problem had gained attention in India as a result of the “Chinese belligerence on the border.”
Need for More Vocal Support
“A lot of people are writing about the need for a change in the Indian government’s position on Tibet, and there is a lot of media attention right now, including from intellectuals,” he stated. “There is always a little more focus as and when there is friction between China and India.”
Tsering made reference to the “more vibrant” foreign policy of India and the country’s expanding global influence when he stated, “We would definitely want India to be a little more vocal [on the issue of Tibet] at multilateral forums such as the UN.” Tsering noted that during the UN Human Rights Council’s periodic evaluation of China’s human rights situation, India does not make any statements regarding Tibet. “Normally, [other] countries look at the leadership of India because India is one country that knows Tibet historically…,” Tsering stated. Therefore, we would prefer it if they were a little more loud in that regard.
India’s Position on China
Tsering acknowledged that China has refocused its foreign policy on the Global South in an attempt to challenge India as the leading developing country, and he endorsed the Indian government’s stance that relations with China cannot be normalized without the withdrawal of troops at flashpoints on the LAC.
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