Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Indiana’s U.S. Senator Todd Young announced their bipartisan, bicameral Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act unanimously passed the Senate. The bill strengthens the United States’ policy to promote dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Dalai Lama to move toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the PRC and Tibet.
“All peoples around the world have inalienable rights to freedom and self-determination, including the Tibetans,” said Merkley. “Our bipartisan, bicameral Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act is a direct response to the tactics of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), which continues to trample on the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people. The bill supports a peaceful resolution to the ongoing dispute between the PRC and Tibet and counters disinformation from the PRC about Tibet and its history. It now heads back to the House, and we will work to get it to President Biden’s desk to help put the people of Tibet in charge of their own future.”
“The Chinese Communist Party’s aggression towards Tibet is self-serving, with negotiations and even the very definition of Tibet on the CCP’s terms. We must refresh U.S. policy towards Tibet, and push for negotiations that advance freedoms for the Tibetan people and peaceful resolution to the CCP’s conflict with the Dalai Lama. The Senate’s vote to pass this legislation demonstrates America’s resolve that the CCP’s status quo – both in Tibet and elsewhere – is not acceptable,” said Young.
“Today’s Senate action is an indication that American support of Tibet will never waver,” said Tencho Gyatso, President of the International Campaign for Tibet. “The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act is crystal clear; it is incumbent on China to resume dialogue, and the United States will not accept China’s disinformation about Tibet, particularly when it concerns the historical status of Tibet. I thank Senator Merkley and Senator Young for their dedication to the cause of freedom and justice for Tibetans, and I hope Beijing will now see that disputes must be resolved through negotiations instead of its agenda to erase Tibet’s unique and ancient civilization.”
In addition to Merkley and Young, the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act is cosponsored by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) and U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Bob Casey (D-PA). The House version of the bill was led by U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA-02) – Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China – and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX-10).
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