Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States has attracted protests and demonstrations from Tibet supporters and other human rights activists including Ughyrs, the minority muslim ethnic group from Xinjiang or East Turkestan in North West China, and Chinese human rights activists and groups such as China Rights Now.
President Obama and Xi Jinping during their joint press conference at White House
Photo:Evan Vucci
US President Barak Obama brought up the subject of Tibet in public, at a press conference. Speaking directly to Xi, he said “Even as we recognise Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China, we continue to encourage Chinese authorities to preserve the religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people, and to engage the Dalai Lama or his representatives.” The Tibetan world is delighted that Obama has made such a public statement on behalf of Tibet, although many say they would have liked him to go further.
Speaking on human rights, Obama said “I again affirmed America’s unwavering support for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including freedom of assembly and expression, freedom of the press and freedom of religion. And I expressed in candid terms our strong view that preventing journalists, lawyers, NGOs and civil society groups from operating freely, or closing churches and denying ethnic minorities equal treatment are all problematic, in our view, and actually prevent China and its people from realising its full potential.”
The press conference was held at the White House on 25 September with Tibetan groups demonstrating outside,including Capital Area Tibetan Association, Regional Capital Area, Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for a Free Tibet, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress NY&NJ and the Charlottesville Tibetan Association. Pro-China demonstrators were also represented, the two sides separated by police and metal barriers.
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