30th Meeting of Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Dialogue Begins

DHARAMSHALA: The 30th meeting of the Task Force on Sino-Tibetan Dialogue began today at Asia Health Resort in Upper Dharamshala. The three-day meeting, which is being presided by CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay, will review future prospects of dialogue between envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese representatives in light of current political situations.

In his opening remarks, President Dr Lobsang Sangay spoke about the rapidly developing international political scenario such as the unprecedented meeting of the leaders of South and North Korea, and expressed optimism that Tibet issue could also see positive outcomes in the future.

However, he opined that the next three-four years would be crucial for Tibet as it could determine the resumption of Sino-Tibetan dialogue or the dignified return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet. He expressed this opinion based on the assumption that the internal political situation inside China could turn volatile from 2021 due to the abolition of China’s presidential term limits and other factors such as upcoming fresh leaders who could pursue more hard line policies on the issue of Tibet.

The Sino-Tibetan Task Force was established in 1999 to recommend policy matters and strategies to find a peaceful and mutually acceptable negotiated resolution to the issue of Tibet. The last task force meeting was held in October 2017.

Since 2002, nine rounds of formal dialogue has taken place between envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government. The last round of dialogue took place in 2010.