China Severed Relations With Czech President Over Meeting With Dalai Lama

Beijing believes it violated the country's sovereignty.

China has announced it has severed contacts with Czech President Peter Pavel following his meeting with Dalai Lama XIV in India. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the Czech leader's trip was detrimental to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"Despite repeated protests and strong opposition from China, Czech President Petr Pavel traveled to India to meet the Dalai Lama. This seriously contradicts the political commitments made by the Czech government to the Chinese government and harms China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Lin Jian emphasized.

He added that China strongly condemns and opposes such meetings and protests to the Czech side.

Beijing emphasizes its exclusive right to approve the Dalai Lama as it considers Tibet an integral part of its territory. As emphasized by the Chinese authorities, the process of selecting the Dalai Lama must take place exclusively within the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, which ensures the Chinese authorities' control over the selection procedure. Tibet has autonomy status within China.

In July, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, Dalai Lama XIV, said before his 90th birthday that the institution of Tibetan Buddhism would continue to exist after his death and called for the next Dalai Lama to be found and recognized in accordance with Buddhist traditions.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that after physical death, the Dalai Lama is reborn in a new body while maintaining spiritual continuity. The institution, which has existed since 1587, has already counted 14 rebirths. Dalai Lama XIII died in Lhasa in 1933. The current spiritual leader of Tibet, given the name Lhamo Dhondrup at birth in 1935, was recognized by reincarnation in 1937 and officially took office in 1940.

After Chinese troops suppressed the Lhasa uprising in 1959, he was forced to leave Tibet and has since resided in the Indian city of Dharamsala, where he headed the Tibetan government in exile until 2011.

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]