Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced his bipartisan bill—the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act—has been signed into law. Merkey’s bill, which he co-authored with Indiana’s U.S. Senator Todd Young, supports Tibetan self-determination and promotes dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Dalai Lama toward a peaceful resolution of the long-standing dispute between Tibet and China.
“The people of Tibet have an inalienable right to self-determination. As the Chinese government continues to ignore the rights of Tibet under international law, my bill sends a powerful, bipartisan message: we must protect basic human rights,” said Merkley, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. “Now that this bill has been signed into law, the United States has made it unmistakably clear that we stand with Tibet. I look forward to the Biden Administration’s prompt implementation.”
The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act states that it is U.S. policy that the dispute between Tibet and China remains unresolved in accordance with international law. The legislation also:
- Empowers the Special Coordinator for Tibet to actively and directly counter disinformation about Tibet from the Chinese government and Communist Party, including working to ensure that U.S. government statements and documents counter disinformation about Tibet.
- Rejects as “inaccurate” China’s false claims that Tibet has been part of China since “ancient times.”
- Promotes substantive dialogue without preconditions between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives or the democratically elected leaders of the Tibetan community. The U.S. could also explore activities to improve prospects for dialogue leading to a negotiated agreement on Tibet.
- Affirms the State Department’s responsibility to coordinate with other governments in multilateral efforts toward the goal of a negotiated agreement on Tibet.
- Encourages China’s government to address the aspirations of the Tibetan people regarding their distinct historical, cultural, religious, and linguistic identity.
The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act passed the Senate unanimously and passed the House with a bipartisan vote of 391-26. The bill was 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 of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China—and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX-10).
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