News
Lanka bolsters one-China policy, incorporating Tibet and Xinjiang
Sri Lanka has agreed to support China on issues related to Xizang (Tibet) and Xinjiang and link both of these issues to the One-China policy.
Xizang, or Tibet, was the one-time home of the Buddhist spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, when it was annexed by China in 1951. The Dalai Lama, who was then the head of state and the government in Tibet from the age of 15, fled to India after Chinese troops marched into the Himalayan territory nestled between India and China. In 1965, Xizang (Tibet) was made an autonomous region and a provincial-level division of the People’s Republic of China. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed Sri Lanka’s position reflected in the Joint Statement, linking the Tibet issue to the One-China policy. He told the Sunday Times yesterday, “We don’t like to divide China.” He said that Tibet (Xizang) is part of China.
Successive Sri Lankan governments have declined requests by the Dalai Lama to visit the country and worship at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy and the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura due to China’s objections but otherwise remained silent and noncommittal on the political status of Tibet. Supported by the anti-China Western powers, the Dalai Lama was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his non-violent struggle for the liberation of Tibet.
The joint statement issued following the summit-level talks between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week stated, “Both sides reaffirmed mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns.” It further states that
Sri Lanka supports China’s One-China principle and opposes “Taiwan independence”. It goes on to state that Sri Lanka “firmly supports” China on issues relating to Xizang and Xinjiang.
Diplomatic analysts point out that China has thereby equated the Taiwan issue to the Tibet issue and brought it under the ‘One China Principle.’
The Sunday Times learns that previous efforts to bring the Tibet issue into joint statements with Sri Lanka did not materialise. China has dropped references to the words Tibet and Uyghur and begun using the names Xizang and Xinjiang in their place.
Xinjiang is a predominantly Muslim province where Uighur separatist groups are fighting for independence from Beijing.
On the eve of the President’s state visit to China, the Cabinet approved the long-standing Sri Lankan position of the ‘One China’ policy, recognising only the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as legitimate China.
It is unclear if the Cabinet endorsement on the ‘One China’ policy announced on the eve of President Dissanayake’s China State visit included references to Xizang and Xinjiang.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!