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Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul delivered the following remarks on H.R. 533, the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, which expresses strong U.S. support of Tibetan Tibetan’s say in their own future, pushes back against Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda, and stresses the importance of a continuing dialogue between the Tibetan and Chinese governments as the Chinese Communist Party grows increasingly aggressive. 

 

WATCH HERE.

 

– Remarks as Delivered –

The world is no stranger to the CCP’s aggression and excessive claims, and nobody knows that more than the Tibetan people.

From ramming Philippine boats to killing Australian servicemen, to claiming ownership over Taiwan, the CCP seeks to dominate the entire Indo-Pacific.

The CCP has a long and violent record of oppression against the people of Tibet. In October of 1950, Chinese Communist troops annexed Tibet, killing tens of thousands of Tibetans and monks.

The CCP’s ongoing oppression of the people of Tibet ultimately forced the Dalai Lama to flee to India.

This persecution has continued to this day.

Just last week, the CCP released a white paper on its policies in Tibet. In this document, the Party double downs on its oppression and crackdown on the religious and economic freedom of [the] Tibetan people. 

Some of the actions taken by the CCP include: Setting up boarding schools to “re-educate” Tibetan children, clamping down on use of [the] Tibetan language, restricting movement of Tibetans, and even attempting to insert themselves into the succession of the Dalai Lama.

Well thank God the Dalai Lama said that the Dalai Lama, who will be reborn, will not be born in China.

This white paper demonstrates the need for this bill, and I am proud to have co-introduced with Rep. McGovern.

The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act helps Tibetans in two major ways.

First, it pushes back against CCP propaganda about the history of Tibet.

The United States has never accepted that, “Tibet was part of China since ancient times,” as the CCP falsely claims.

This legislation clarifies U.S. policy, highlights the unique language, religion, and culture of the Tibetan people, and directs U.S. diplomacy to pushback against CCP propaganda.

Additionally, it ensures Tibetans have a say in their own future, not the CCP.

This bill stresses the need for a dialogue between the CCP and the democratically elected leaders of Tibet.

Any resolution must include the wishes and the voice of the Tibetan people.

Tibetans are a democracy-loving people who wish to practice their own religion freely and have their own wishes and desires acknowledged as we do in the United States of America. The freedoms that we enjoy, we want to be enjoyed by the people of Tibet.

So, I am proud to have played a very small role and part in supporting this dream for the Tibetan people. I want to thank you for being here today. I hope you can be here when it passes on the House Floor. I encourage you to relay my best wishes to the Dalai Lama.

I encourage all my colleagues to pushback against the CCP’s crackdown of religious and ethnic minorities like the Tibetan people and vote in favor of this bill.

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