US hits out at China over the Dalai Lama, praises India

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ As China protested the meeting between a senior US diplomat and the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala in India, Washington emphasized on the “enduring US support for the Tibetan people” and praised India’s “extraordinary generosity” in supporting the Tibetans’ religious freedom.US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback met the Dalai Lama in Dharmshala on Monday.

Alice G. Wells, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of South and Central Asia, in tweets said: “@IRF_Ambassador’s meeting with His Holiness in Dharamsala emphasizes enduring U.S. support for the Tibetan people. India has greatly supported Tibetan religious freedom, and the U.S. stands in deep admiration of India’s extraordinary generosity.”

On the issue of a successor to the Dalai Lama, and China’s stand on it, she said: “The Chinese Communist Party claim that Dalai Lama’s succession “must comply with Chinese laws and regulations” is meritless. Tibetan communities, like all faith communities, should be able to select, educate, & venerate their religious leaders without government interference.