By Lobsang Wangyal
McLEOD GANJ, India, 28 November 2020
The recent statement by the Sikyong (political leader) of the Central Tibetan Administration, Lobsang Sangay, that he’s the first to visit White House in 60 years (although he didn’t actually go there), calls for analysis of the meetings between US Presidents and the Dalai Lama. Sangay posted a photo of himself and the Representative of the Dalai Lama to North America, Ngodup Tsering, labelled as visiting the White House, which was contradicted by former State Department staff Todd Stein saying it was actually the Eisenhower Building where the meeting of White House staff with Sangay took place. The building is located next to the West Wing of the White House, and houses the majority of offices for White House staff. The White House itself is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States of America.
Sangay also stated later that the Dalai Lama had been invited to the White House as a religious leader. The 13 meetings between the US Presidents and the Dalai Lama at the White House since 1991 have been compiled here to understand the real history of interactions between the Tibetan government-in-exile and the White House.
Since the historic first meeting of US President George HW Bush with Tibetan political and religious leader the Dalai Lama at the White House in April 1991, succeeding presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush, and Barack Obama all kept the tradition and met with the Dalai Lama on a number of occasions to show their support for the Tibetan cause, despite warnings by China that it would damage diplomatic relations.
President Bill Clinton met with the Dalai Lama on four occasions between 1993 and 2000, discussing US-China relations, allegations of human rights abuses in Tibet, and the Dalai Lama’s commitment to nonviolence and his efforts to initiate dialogue with the Chinese government.
President George W Bush similarly met the Dalai Lama four times, starting with the 23 May 2001 meeting at the White House. On one occasion, on 23 September 2008, Bush telephoned the Dalai Lama at his residence in McLeod Ganj, India, to inquire about his health, and discussed other issues.
President Barack Obama, like his predecessors, also met the Dalai Lama four times in his eight-year term. All these meetings, like before, took place in the White House residence instead of the Oval Office, where the presidents normally welcome visiting world leaders, in an apparent bid to placate China. The last of these meetings was in June 2016. By then the Dalai Lama had relinquished his political powers, transferring the responsibilities to an elected leader called Sikyong.
Incumbent Donald Trump is the only president in 30 years not to meet the Dalai Lama.
During his presidential campaign, Trump’s opponent Joe Biden promised that as president he will meet the Dalai Lama, and will press China to resume talks with Tibetans for “meaningful autonomy”. Biden had previously met with the Dalai Lama in 2003 when he was a Senator.
Biden also vowed to impose sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses in Tibet, and to step up support for Tibetans.
“As President, I’ll put values back at the center of American foreign policy. I’ll meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama; appoint a new Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues,” Biden said in a statement on 3 September 2020.
Biden called out Trump for not meeting the Tibetan leader yet, saying “It’s disgraceful, though not surprising, that Trump is the first American president in three decades who has not met or spoken with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
The official US policy has always been that Tibet is a part of China, not an independent country, but that the US is committed to support the distinctive historical, cultural, religious, and linguistic identity of the Tibetan people, and also to support the Tibetan demand for autonomy within China. The US urges the Chinese government to have substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives for a negotiated settlement of the Tibetan issue on the basis of the Middle-Way approach as proposed by the Dalai Lama.
All these presidents except Trump spoke or issued statements on Tibet on number of occasions expressing their support for Tibet and the Tibetan people. Some of their speeches or statements are published on this website.
President Barack Obama on Tibet
Note from the President’s Office after meeting with the Dalai Lama,WASHINGTON, DC, 21 February 2014
The President met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and nonviolence and expressed support for the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach. The President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. In this context, the President reiterated the US position that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China and that the United States does not support Tibet independence. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and constructive relationship between the United States and China.
President George W Bush on Tibet
President Bush urges China to hold dialogue with Dalai LamaWASHINGTON, DC, 13 June 2008
And the other issue is China and its relations with Tibet, we both agree, it would stand the Chinese government in good stead if they would, you know, begin a dialogue with the representatives for the Dalai Lama. They’ll find if they ever were to reach out to the Dalai Lama they’d find him to be a really fine man, a peaceful man, a man who is anti-violence, a man who is not for independence but for the cultural identity of the Tibetans being maintained. And so I want to thank you sir, you got good knowledge and you’ve had a lot of experience, and you’re kind to share it with me.
President Bill Clinton on Tibet
President Clinton and President Jiang Zemin press conference.BEIJING, China, 27 June 1998
On 27 June 1998, in a joint press conference in Beijing, which was telecast live by the China Central Television (CCTV), the US President Bill Clinton urged the Chinese government to open a dialogue on Tibet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. President Clinton said: “I urge President Jiang [Zemin] to assume a dialogue with the Dalai Lama in return for the recognition that Tibet is a part of China and recognition of the unique cultural and religious heritage of that region.” Clinton also said, “I have spent time with the Dalai Lama, I believe him to be an honest man, and I believe if he had a conversation with President Jiang, they would like each other very much.” In response, President Jiang Zemin augmented the positive aspects of China’s rule in Tibet. He also said, “As long as the Dalai Lama makes a public commitment that Tibet is an inalienable part of China and Taiwan is a province of China, then the door to dialogue and negotiation is open… Actually, we are having several channels of communications with the Dalai Lama, so I hope the Dalai Lama will make a positive response in this regard.”
President George HW Bush on Tibet
President George HW Bush on TibetWASHINGTON DC, 16 April 1991
Briefing the media on 17 April 1991, the White House Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said, “The President met with him for about a half an hour last evening. They discussed the general situation in Tibet.” He continued, “We have, however, repeatedly raised our concerns over human rights abuses in that country — I mean in Tibet — with the Chinese government, and we continue to urge the followers of the Dalai Lama and the Beijing government to resume a peaceful dialogue to resolve the problems between them.”
incumbent sikyong is a shameless and iron-faced man, who drag majority for his name sake, ordered vip number for his car and spend more than 30k for his room rent (presidential suit) at hotel moksha during 5-50, and kaydor called one indian staff to paljor office for follow up work of 5-50 for which she was paid 60k and report only thrice a week while cta staff work whole week and also over time work, but paid 20k, and given visa to [a female staff] and now she is enjoying abroad….
If Tashi Dolkar la, case is fact then where are our Chithue, who are supposed to check on Executive branch. Where is Paljor Kalon, it is very shameful. All our press reporter were sleeping and they are not doing their job. Someone should investigate this matter. Our Sikyong is BS, only show off and no insight.
Mariko is the 3rd Tibetan to go to White House. There is a picture on Facebook to prove it.
Lobsang Wangyal la, thank you for bringing up these facts. It is quite surprising that our Sikyong lies about these things in bold face in front of all the people. He has not achieved anything to his three promises when running for Sikyong. Why our Tibet TV and Tibet.net are not making corrections. Where are the VOA and RFA, where are all our Press !!
What Sikyong claimed recently is a baseless and shameless comment which hurt the sentiments of majority of Tibetans. Lobsang Wangyal thanks for coming up with all those facts and figures, without those many people are confused and cheated.
HH Dalai Lama visited White House always as a religious leader, not political. However, US presidents later on released statements connected to Tibetan political issues, which Lobsang Wangyal quotes. So there is a contradiction in US approach.
One way to decipher this contradiction is to say Dalai lama visited WH as a religious leader, but US president chose to, just as a bonus, talk a bit about politics of Tibet and its connection to Dalai Lama.
In case of Lobsang Sangay, he was upfront invited as an ‘ elected political leader’, unlike Dalai Lama who was invited as a ‘religious leader.’
What’s the difference? CTA is effectively recognized as a state entity by US.
Tibet Sun is the real media digging all the real facts and presenting truth to power. Tibet.net and Tibet TV have become Chinese CCTV for LS and Kaydor. Especially that Tibet TV lady anchor trying too smart for her own good was lapping up this fake White House visit in her interview with LS as if he just returned from a maiden visit from moon. Really pathetic to see such propaganda news coverage in CTA. Better arrange some crying ladies around LS as soon as he steps in Gangkyi gate from his so-called historic White House visit and make sure to have this same fake Tibet TV anchor to cover this event in full excitement. We will witness Tibetan version of Kim Jong Un and his fake news in Dharamshala in full glory.
Sikyong, Kaydor and Dardhon Sharling are all same in claiming credits for everything as first and the youngest. If one looks back at their record, they have said so many times in the past that they have done this and that the “first time ever.” Many such false and shameless credits were let pass in the past. But now his claim of “first ever” has gone a little too far as it concerns His Holiness and hence the rightful outrage. It is time we recognize a dangerous despot and a dictator for what he is.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama was political and religious leader of Tibet when he met US President George HW Bush in 1991. It is total lie on the part of Sikyong Lobsang Sangay to say that His Holiness met George HW Bush on the capacity of a Tibetan religious leader. Lobsang Sangay could become Sikyong in 2011 only because His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave up his temporal powers. It is now abundantly clear Sikyong has become like a cobra biting the hand of the person who gave it milk to grow up and has no conscience and shame in saying he is the first Tibetan leader to go to the White House. On top of this there is no word or a picture from the White House saying Lobsang Sangay was at the White House. It is a total hogwash.
By the law of instant Karma his cabinet is crippled with invalid Choerig Kalon, a total fanatic Nangsi Kalon and his health Kalon’s both legs are reportedly broken. Sooner he would face his instant Karma too. So much for a person who took the post of Sikyong without any sincere motivation for the service of Tibetan nation and people but to satisfy his larger than life ego.
Hope the people would not vote this kind of third rate Sikyong this time around and vote to the one who would at least do no harm to the Tibetan cause and people.
HH the Dalai Lama is the first Tibetan who met US President
Since 1991 at White House.
Thank you Tibetsun.com