The Dalai Lama's office has reacted to China's statement over the US delegation's visit by reiterating Tibet's "historical status as an independent country." The response from the Dalai Lama's Secretary of Bureau Dhundup Gyalpo Bawa came a day after China asked the spiritual leader to "thoroughly correct his political propositions" for talks to happen between Tibet and Beijing.
The group of U.S. lawmakers, who met the Dalai Lama in India on Wednesday, urged China to hold talks with Dalai Lama. The delegation also made strong remarks questioning China's policy towards Tibet.
Slamming Beijing's "propaganda machine" for manipulating the fact that China invaded Tibet and illegally occupied it in 1959, the secretary's post read: "The PRC invaded Tibet and illegally occupied it since 1959. The Chinese propaganda machine has been manipulating this fact, by mixing it up with the One China Policy, which has nothing to do with Tibet, to begin with, and deviously broadcasting that Tibet has always been part of China since ancient times. The recent US Resolve Tibet Act rejects this claim as inaccurate."
The Dalai Lama's office added that the existence of Tibet's currency before its invasion by the PRC underscored Tibet's historical status as an independent country. "The saying repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth does not apply here, just as substituting "Xizang" for "Tibet" does not change historical facts," the post added.
China had warily watched the delegation's visit and reacted to the US lawmakers's call to hold talks. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing on Thursday that the US needed to respect its sensitivity and importance to Tibet-related issues as Washington is set to pass a tough Tibet policy law.
Their visit came as US President Joe Biden was set to sign the Tibet policy bill adopted by both the US Senate and the House of Representatives. The bill, which awaits Biden's signature to make it into law, seeks to counter China's narrative about its control over Tibet and promote dialogue between the Chinese government and the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Lin added that the US needed to respect China's core interests in its comments on Xizang refrain from any forms with the Dalai group and stop sending out to the world wrong signals.
He also criticised the reported remarks by the Tibet government-in-exile that it is going to use the new Tibet legislation passed by the US Senate and Congress to try to force China to come to the negotiating table and urge other countries to put pressure on Beijing to hold talks with it.
"The so-called Tibet government-in-exile is an out-and-out separatist political group and an illegal organisation in total violation of China's constitution and laws. It is not recognised by any country," Lin said.
Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama has arrived in Delhi on Friday ahead of his US visit. The spiritual leader will visit the US for knee treatment on Saturday.