Four days ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama’s maiden visit to Beijing, China controversially drew a comparison between slavery in the United States and serfdom under the Dalai Lamas’ rule to call for American support on the Tibet issue.
Referring to the U.S. President’s African roots, a Chinese official invoked the anti-slavery legacy of Abraham Lincoln to caution the U.S President from meeting the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama.
“[Obama] is a black President, and he understands the slavery abolition movement and Lincoln’s major significance for that movement,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang. “The abolishment of the serf system in Tibet is as significant as the end of the slavery in the United States.”
Four days ahead of Mr. Obama’s much anticipated maiden visit to China, Beijing’s comments have brought focus to what has often been a prickly issue in Sino-U.S. ties.
Tibet and human rights are indeed on the agenda during Mr. Obama’s visit, and human rights campaigners here have called on Mr. Obama to press for the release of several detained writers. But officials here said any bold statement from Mr. Obama is unlikely, and sensitive issues such as human rights, Tibet and Taiwan will be far down on his list of priorities.
In recent days, officials on both sides have said Mr. Obama’s first visit to China will focus more on the positive aspects of the two countries’ “comprehensive and cooperative” partnership, with an emphasis on the financial crisis, cooperation in clean energy, North Korea and Iran.
Mr. Obama was criticised for not meeting the Dalai Lama in Washington in October, a move seen by many as his administration relenting to Chinese pressure. But officials in the Obama administration and Dalai Lama’s representatives in Dharamshala have said a meeting between the two may take place not long after Mr. Obama’s trip to China concludes.
Beijing said on Thursday it was “firmly opposed to any contact” between the Dalai Lama and foreign leaders, and called on the U.S. to support China’s position.
Chinese troops occupied Tibet in 1951. Beijing says it’s rule has brought economic development and ended Tibet’s past feudal society after the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959.
China’s view of history is strongly disputed by Tibetans, who say Chinese rule has restricted religious freedom and threatened Tibetan culture.
The Dalai Lama’s official spokesperson refuted Mr. Qin’s suggestion and said they were baseless, stressing that the Tibetan leader neither had separatist aims nor sought political control.
“His Holiness has supported a Middle Way approach to seek a mutually beneficial solution where Tibetans can remain with the People’s Republic of China as long as they can preserve their unique culture,” Tenzin Taklha told The Hindu . “China needs to understand many Tibetans have genuine grievances against their policies and are willing to address them realistically.”
