China slams British support for Dalai Lama
Following the
counter-revolutionary riots in Tibet in March (see ‘Tibet – China frustrates
imperialist sabotage’, Lalkar, May/June 2008), the Dalai Lama, a feudal
relic and the region’s former theocratic dictator, made a tour of imperialist
capitals, including an 11-day visit to Britain in late May.
Taking on the flavour of an obsequious circus,
complete with fawning media clowns, the “awarding” of honorary
doctorates, and so on, the circumstances and timing of the visit could not have
furnished clearer evidence both of the despicable role of the Dalai Lama as a
frontman and stooge for imperialist attempts to undermine and disintegrate the
People’s Republic of China, and especially of the fact that British imperialism,
which created the concept of “Tibetan independence” in the nineteenth
century, remains an implacable foe of the Chinese revolution and the Chinese
people, whatever hypocritical stance they might sometimes take to the contrary
for commercial or other opportunist reasons.
As if to underline the fact that hostility to
socialist China is something that unites all Britain’s bourgeois parties, the
Dalai Lama was met by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Conservative leader David
Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. Even many visiting heads of
state or government from sovereign countries are not afforded such a high level
reception. And, with characteristic indifference to the fact that when the
Dalai Lama ruled Tibet 95 per cent of the population were serfs or slaves with
no rights whatsoever, who could be bought and sold, tortured, mutilated and
killed by their masters on a whim, the House of Commons invited him to give “evidence”
to an impertinently named hearing on the so-called “human rights” issue
in China.
These reactionary anti-China provocations on the
part of British imperialism drew a strong rebuff from the People’s Republic.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang expressed the
country’s “strong discontent and resolute opposition” to the meeting with
Brown. “This interferes in China’s internal affairs and gravely hurts the
Chinese people’s feelings as well,” he said.
China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress
(NPC), strongly condemned the House of Commons stunt. Its Foreign Affairs
Committee said:
“We express our strong indignation and
opposition to such an act that constitutes an arrogant interference in China’s domestic affairs and hurts the Chinese people’s feelings.”
Tibet is an inalienable part of Chinese territory
and Tibetan affairs are part of China’s domestic affairs, the statement said,
adding that the Tibet issue is not about ethnic, religious nor human rights,
but a political issue that concerns China’s national sovereignty and
territorial integrity.
The Dalai Lama could not represent the Tibetan
people as he has been engaged in activities aimed at splitting the country and
restoring the old theocratic rule in Tibet, which is even darker than medieval Europe, the statement continued.
The British parliament’s invitation of the Dalai
Lama to speak at the hearing is unacceptable to the Chinese government and
people, and indeed, to any international voice with conscience, it said. “This
irresponsible act makes a mockery of democracy, freedom and human rights.”
“We hope the British House of Commons and its
Foreign Affairs Committee will take into consideration bilateral relations and
the interests of the two peoples, and cherish the hard-won sound relationship
between the two countries,” the statement said.
The Chinese parliament also demanded
that Britain respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, recognise Tibet as an inalienable part of China, take concrete actions to protect bilateral ties and prevent
such things from happening again.