WASHINGTON: A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged the Trump administration to make Tibet a priority in its foreign policy, pressing the State Department to advance dialogue on the region’s future, defend religious freedom in the Dalai Lama’s succession, and counter Chinese disinformation about Tibet.
In a letter to Riley M. Barnes, the US State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, the lawmakers said Washington should strengthen efforts to implement existing laws and reinforce long-standing American support for the Tibetan people.
The letter was led by Congressman Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Congresswoman Young Kim, a Republican from California, along with eight other House members from both parties.
“We know what is possible when the Administration and Congress work together to promote America’s interests regarding Tibet, ” the lawmakers wrote.
“We look forward to working with you as Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to implement these laws and appropriations provided by Congress, to advance a renewed and reinvigorated push to peacefully resolve the dispute over Tibet’s future, and to continue the US government’s unwavering support for our Tibetan allies.”