US delegation meets Dalai Lama in Himachal Pradesh, invites China's ire: What Nancy Pelosi said

NEW DELHI: A US delegation, led by former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican chair of the US House foreign affairs committee Michael McCaul met Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Dharamshala. After the meeting, Pelosi recounted her previous visit to Tibet, where she witnessed the Chinese government's efforts to erase Tibetan culture by suppressing the use of the Tibetan language.
She highlighted the importance of the recently passed legislation, the 'Resolve Tibet Act', which sends a clear message to the Chinese government about the United States' stance on the issue.
Pelosi said after meeting Dalai Lama, "There was a visit of the President of China to Washington, DC and I said to him, we are objecting to what you are doing to the culture of Tibet. He said, you know what you're talking about, you should go there and see for yourself all the improvements that China is making in Tibet. I said, thank you because I've been trying for 25 years to get a visa to go to Tibet. So we went there with our delegation. We went to the Potala Palace. We saw the room where His Holiness grew up."
"They are trying to erase the culture by reducing the use of the language. They are trying something that we cannot let them get away with. I'll be gracious to the Chinese people, I don't know that they're up to this, but we do know that the Chinese government is, and we do know that they must get the message. This legislation sends the message, the House and the Senate and soon to be signed by Joe Biden, the president of the United States", she further added.
Dolma Tsering Teykhang, deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, said that the visit of the US lawmakers demonstrates that "Tibet is not alone." She highlighted that the delegation's presence sends a message of support for human rights and freedom, not only for Tibet but for anyone aspiring to these values. Teykhang also noted that China is "annoyed" with anyone who supports Tibet, but the representatives and senators are there to support a just cause.
Earlier this week, the US Congress passed the 'Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act', also known as the 'Resolve Tibet Act', which urges China to re-engage with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders to peacefully resolve their dispute over the status and governance of Tibet. The legislation rejects Beijing's stance that Tibet has been part of China since ancient times and calls for an end to the propagation of disinformation about Tibetan history, people, and institutions.
Upon arrival in Dharamshala, Pelosi expressed her excitement about being there, while McCaul affirmed President Biden's intention to sign the 'Resolve Tibet Act'. The US Representative highlighted the significance of the bill passed by Congress and expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming meeting with the Dalai Lama.
China, however, expressed grave concern over the US delegation's visit to Dharamshala. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged the US to recognize the "anti-China separatist nature" of the Dalai Group and to refrain from sending the wrong signal to the world. China maintains that the 14^th Dalai Lama is not a pure religious figure but a political exile engaged in anti-China separatist activities.
(With agency inputs)