China&#39;s right-leaning daily newspaper Global Times in its editorial <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-objects-to-china-renaming-six-places-in-arunachal-pradesh-14724">said India has speeded up development</a> of infrastructure along the border with China, asserting that China has &quot;plenty of chips&quot; with which to bargain with India, through political, military and economic means.&nbsp;

In its op-ed page article, the daily mainly <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nobody-should-have-any-problem-with-dalai-lamas-arunachal-pradesh-visit-india-says-14172">touched on India&#39;s ongoing dispute</a> with China over Arunachal Pradesh, which is called &quot;South Tibet&quot; in China. After reports surfaced&nbsp; of Arun Jaitley recently proposing the construction of a new tunnel, the newspaper said, &quot;if India seeks to break the status quo in the disputed region, relevant countermeasures by China should be in place.&quot;

&quot;The development of infrastructure can only play a limited role in improving the military&#39;s combat capability, but it is more of a gesture by the Indian government to strengthen control in the region,&quot; the newspaper said, adding that despite backward &quot;connectivity infrastructure in the disputed China-India border areas, made-in-China products are quite popular&quot; in the local markets in northeast India.

&quot;Most of the goods are imported by India from Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh, which serve as transit points for made-in-China goods,&quot; it said.

China had earlier announced that had &quot;standardised&quot; official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh and termed the provocative move as &quot;legitimate&quot;, India later opposed the move.

&quot;China can strengthen economic cooperation with the three countries to put pressure on India regarding issues related to the disputed region,&quot; the state-run newspaper said.

In its op-ed page article, the daily mainly touched on India's ongoing dispute with China over Arunachal Pradesh

China's right-leaning daily newspaper Global Times in its editorial said India has speeded up development of infrastructure along the border with China, asserting that China has "plenty of chips" with which to bargain with India, through political, military and economic means. In its op-ed page article, the daily mainly touched on India's ongoing dispute with China over Arunachal Pradesh, which is called "South Tibet" in China. After reports surfaced of Arun Jaitley recently proposing the construction of a new tunnel, the newspaper said, "if India seeks to break the status quo in the disputed region, relevant countermeasures by China should be in place." "The development of infrastructure can only play a limited role in improving the military's combat capability, but it is more of a gesture by the Indian government to strengthen control in the region," the newspaper said, adding that despite backward "connectivity infrastructure in the disputed China-India border areas, made-in-China products are quite popular" in the local markets in northeast India. "Most of the goods are imported by India from Myanmar, Nepal and Bangladesh, which serve as transit points for made-in-China goods," it said. China had earlier announced that had "standardised" official names for six places in Arunachal Pradesh and termed the provocative move as "legitimate", India later opposed the move. "China can strengthen economic cooperation with the three countries to put pressure on India regarding issues related to the disputed region," the state-run newspaper said.

If India breaks status quo on Arunachal, countermeasures by China should be in place: China Daily

China today put a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/how-are-tibetan-refugees-doing-as-dalai-lama-celebrates-his-birthday-17626">Tibetan on trial for &quot;inciting separatism&quot;</a> even as rights group denounced the decision as a &quot;sham&quot; after he appeared in a New York Times video documentary&nbsp; in which he criticised policies related to Tibetan language education.

Tibetan, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/58-years-later-dalai-lama-meets-soldier-who-escorted-him-to-india-from-tibet-14105">Tashi Wangchuk, pleaded &quot;not guilty&quot;</a> to the charges. He faces upto 15 years in prison if convicted.

In the New York Times video, Wangchuk was shown travelling to Beijing where he tried to file a lawsuit against officials in Yushu which is an autonomous prefecture in&nbsp;southwest&nbsp;Qinghai province.

In the video, Wangchuk reportedly said: &quot;I want to try to use the People&rsquo;s Republic of China&rsquo;s laws to solve the problem,&quot; adding, it was a systematic &quot;slaughter of our culture&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;In politics, it&#39;s said that if one nation wants to eliminate another nation, first they need to eliminate their spoken and written language,&quot; he allegedly said in the video.

Rights group Amnesty International criticised the Chinese government for putting &nbsp;Wangchuk on trial calling it &quot;blatant trumped up charges&quot;.

Amnesty International said it was &quot;appalling&quot; that Wangchuk could face jail time.

Maya Wang, a researcher at Human Rights Watch told AFP that Wangchuk was merely exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights.

&quot;If Chinese authorities consider that &#39;inciting separatism&#39;, it&#39;s hard to tell what isn&#39;t,&quot; Wang said.

Tibetan, Tashi Wangchuk, pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. He faces upto 15 years in prison if convicted.

China today put a Tibetan on trial for "inciting separatism" even as rights group denounced the decision as a "sham" after he appeared in a New York Times video documentary in which he criticised policies related to Tibetan language education. Tibetan, Tashi Wangchuk, pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. He faces upto 15 years in prison if convicted. In the New York Times video, Wangchuk was shown travelling to Beijing where he tried to file a lawsuit against officials in Yushu which is an autonomous prefecture in southwest Qinghai province. In the video, Wangchuk reportedly said: "I want to try to use the People’s Republic of China’s laws to solve the problem," adding, it was a systematic "slaughter of our culture". "In politics, it's said that if one nation wants to eliminate another nation, first they need to eliminate their spoken and written language," he allegedly said in the video. Rights group Amnesty International criticised the Chinese government for putting Wangchuk on trial calling it "blatant trumped up charges". Amnesty International said it was "appalling" that Wangchuk could face jail time. Maya Wang, a researcher at Human Rights Watch told AFP that Wangchuk was merely exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights. "If Chinese authorities consider that 'inciting separatism', it's hard to tell what isn't," Wang said.

China puts Tibetan language advocate on trial for 'inciting separatism'

As we know that a significant portion of India is dependent upon rivers flowing from China for its sustenance. The existence of such rivers keeps China in a somehow upper hand situation where it can control the flow of water to affect India, Nepal and Bangladesh significantly. These rivers bring in more than 2000 cubic km of water annually into India. There are major rivers like Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej and the seven stream Kosi River of Nepal which brings about 48 cubic kilometres of water flow annually into the Ganges River System. The Tibetan watershed is so prominent that as per reports of United Nations, over half of the world&rsquo;s population is affected by the rivers flowing out of Tibet.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Over 8 major Tibetan Rivers, China has built over 20 dams in the last two decades or so, and some of them can really be called as Mega Dams. Not only this, as per its thirteenth 5-Years Plan which was released last year, China plans to build more hydro-power dams on the Tibetan rivers. Though the planned figures are not yet available but as per media reports, China plans to build 40 more dams of different sizes in the Tibetan watershed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India is not the first victim of China&rsquo;s water politics. Earlier, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia also protested over the building of 8 hydropower dams on the River Mekong which is considered lifeline of these countries but their protestations have gone in vain. The resultant effect on the ecology of these countries is now visible.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In case of India, China&rsquo;s accelerated programme to harness increasing amount of energy from water is going to trigger serious environmental disturbances which include natural disasters, fragile ecosystems of the region and diversion of riverine routes. Thus, it is with some amount of alarm that India receives the announcement of a 2000MW Suwalong Project over one of the tributaries of Brahmaputra.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

But the immediate strategic threat is now haunting us- the Chines Water bomb. The reservoirs of these dams are a serious security concern for us. China&rsquo;s dam projects are known to the world but the matter of concern in the current scenario is that the neighbouring country is not sharing its hydrological data with Government of India in a real-time scenario. The most recent example is of this year itself where this data was not shared since May 2017 and, thus, resulted in the loss of over 50 lives and affected over 3.5 Million people in 25 districts during monsoons. This flood was considered the worst in last 29 years.

&nbsp;

This can also be taken as a tool to blackmail India. If China stops the water of these rivers, India and Bangladesh will have water crisis resulting in famine. On the other hand, if it releases the water without any significant warning, the same will cause devastating floods in the region. The whole of North India (dependent upon Bhakhra Nangal Dam of Sutlej), Eastern India (Bihar and West Bengal dependent upon the water of Kosi River System) and entire North East (Brahmaputra River) are under serious threat now.

&nbsp;

Recently, senior Assam government officials also raised concern about the construction of some riverine tunnels to divert water from Brahmaputra River. On analysing, it was found that there were reports in the Chinse media that China is testing some technology to construct 1000 km long tunnel so that it can carry water from Tibet to Xinjiang province in the Taklamakan Desert. This is an area which is likely to be the hub of China&rsquo;s One Belt One Road (OBOR) and China Pakistan Economic Corridor. China needs a large amount of water there. This kind of ecological disturbances is very serious for the existence of the entire human race.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

So, what India should do now?&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The solution lies in the optimum utilisation of the Himalayan watershed, especially the rivers originating in India. The ambitious project of linking of rivers will also help in case of any crisis. India should also harvest its share optimally out of the western rivers as per Indus River Treaty with Pakistan. As of now, we are not utilising our own share optimally.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

India should also consider strengthening our disaster-management system, earmarking key areas where its people may get affected. The concrete disaster management strategy will save precious lives in the future.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

As China builds dams over rivers originating in Tibet, India faces a serious security and environmental threat.

As we know that a significant portion of India is dependent upon rivers flowing from China for its sustenance. The existence of such rivers keeps China in a somehow upper hand situation where it can control the flow of water to affect India, Nepal and Bangladesh significantly. These rivers bring in more than 2000 cubic km of water annually into India. There are major rivers like Brahmaputra, Indus, Sutlej and the seven stream Kosi River of Nepal which brings about 48 cubic kilometres of water flow annually into the Ganges River System. The Tibetan watershed is so prominent that as per reports of United Nations, over half of the world’s population is affected by the rivers flowing out of Tibet. Over 8 major Tibetan Rivers, China has built over 20 dams in the last two decades or so, and some of them can really be called as Mega Dams. Not only this, as per its thirteenth 5-Years Plan which was released last year, China plans to build more hydro-power dams on the Tibetan rivers. Though the planned figures are not yet available but as per media reports, China plans to build 40 more dams of different sizes in the Tibetan watershed. India is not the first victim of China’s water politics. Earlier, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia also protested over the building of 8 hydropower dams on the River Mekong which is considered lifeline of these countries but their protestations have gone in vain. The resultant effect on the ecology of these countries is now visible. In case of India, China’s accelerated programme to harness increasing amount of energy from water is going to trigger serious environmental disturbances which include natural disasters, fragile ecosystems of the region and diversion of riverine routes. Thus, it is with some amount of alarm that India receives the announcement of a 2000MW Suwalong Project over one of the tributaries of Brahmaputra. But the immediate strategic threat is now haunting us- the Chines Water bomb. The reservoirs of these dams are a serious security concern for us. China’s dam projects are known to the world but the matter of concern in the current scenario is that the neighbouring country is not sharing its hydrological data with Government of India in a real-time scenario. The most recent example is of this year itself where this data was not shared since May 2017 and, thus, resulted in the loss of over 50 lives and affected over 3.5 Million people in 25 districts during monsoons. This flood was considered the worst in last 29 years. This can also be taken as a tool to blackmail India. If China stops the water of these rivers, India and Bangladesh will have water crisis resulting in famine. On the other hand, if it releases the water without any significant warning, the same will cause devastating floods in the region. The whole of North India (dependent upon Bhakhra Nangal Dam of Sutlej), Eastern India (Bihar and West Bengal dependent upon the water of Kosi River System) and entire North East (Brahmaputra River) are under serious threat now. Recently, senior Assam government officials also raised concern about the construction of some riverine tunnels to divert water from Brahmaputra River. On analysing, it was found that there were reports in the Chinse media that China is testing some technology to construct 1000 km long tunnel so that it can carry water from Tibet to Xinjiang province in the Taklamakan Desert. This is an area which is likely to be the hub of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) and China Pakistan Economic Corridor. China needs a large amount of water there. This kind of ecological disturbances is very serious for the existence of the entire human race. So, what India should do now? The solution lies in the optimum utilisation of the Himalayan watershed, especially the rivers originating in India. The ambitious project of linking of rivers will also help in case of any crisis. India should also harvest its share optimally out of the western rivers as per Indus River Treaty with Pakistan. As of now, we are not utilising our own share optimally. India should also consider strengthening our disaster-management system, earmarking key areas where its people may get affected. The concrete disaster management strategy will save precious lives in the future. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: China's water bomb strategy ? should India worry?

Kham, a region in the south east of the ancient mighty Tibetan Kingdom is the birthplace of all Khampas, the legendary and fierce warriors mentioned in the history. A rugged mountainous area comprising of Hengduan mountains and several river valleys are like the nature of Khampas - looks pleasant when silent but can cause massive damage if disturbed. Kham area is referred in Tibetan history as &quot;Chushi Gangdruk&quot; which means the land of six mountains and four rivers.

Since the very start, the Khampa warriors have been an integral part of Tibetan Army and have been protecting His Holiness Dalai Lama even at the cost of their lives. For a Khampa, life is always dedicated to his land and he is expected to fight till the last drop of his blood.

When Communist China started invading the land of Buddha in 1950, and razed their monasteries in eastern Tibet, the Khampas or the &quot;Buddha Warriors&quot; - a name by which they are also known - formed different armed groups to fight.

In 1959, when His Holiness Dalai Lama had to flee to India after situations become uneasy with Beijing, local Khampa tribesmen formed a strong resistance movement employing their guerrilla warfare against the invading Chinese army. The warriors were without any support and had to sustain at their own in the very beginning until the US started supporting them. The main concern of Washington and the CIA was to stop the spread of Communism especially in the pretext of a possible collaboration between erstwhile USSR and China.

In the early sixties, the CIA decided to organise a covert military establishment inside Tibet. The Khampa&#39;s initial stories of success against China with their limited resource led the CIA to back the group with arms, funding and training them in guerrilla warfare from the late 1950s until 1969. The initial set of warriors were flown to the US and were trained in Camp Hale in Colorado.

Soon thereafter, they set up their base camps in the then-kingdom of Mustang, which was a remote Himalayan region bordering Tibet but geographically located in Nepal. The training was tough and climate was not favourable. Moreover, the warriors had problems of food and other resources but all that couldn&#39;t deter the Khampas from their target. The initial lot of Khampas was also known as &quot;Mustang Warriors&quot;.

A former Khampa who also accompanied the Dalai Lama when he moved out of Tibet in 1959, says, &quot;We were able to fight so hard because we were fighting for Tibet. The Tibetan people had lost their freedom. They were enduring many hardships. And we wanted to go return to Tibet. That was why we fought so hard.&quot;

Despite the hardships and the political and military pressure from both China and Nepal, the armed group did succeed in temporarily taking control of large areas of Tibet during the territorial conflict.

Since China feared these warriors and their potent guerrilla tactics, it compelled Nepal to send its forces into Mustang for the surrender of the Khampas. To avoid confrontation, the Dalai Lama, being the ultimate authority in Tibetan Buddhist culture, sent the fighters a taped message asking them to lay down their arms to spare themselves a bloody confrontation.

While some of the warriors accepted the Dalai Lama&#39;s request, few of them chose to commit suicide rather than disobey their spiritual leader or face dishonour by surrendering. Even those who surrendered were murdered in cold blood by the joint team of Chinese and Nepalese army including the entire leadership of Khampa movement with their last General Wangdu, their last leader.

You can kill few Khampas but not their spirit which is still alive in the Kham region. In the subsequent years, more and more Khampas took the oath to fight for their land and the Dalai Lama and formed another movement with the support of Indian government. &quot;The movement will not die till we get back our motherland back from China. No matter how many of us perish but very soon we will be successful,&quot; says another fighter of the rank of a Colonel who is desperately waiting to fight for his leader, the Dalai Lama and his country.

Since the very start, the Khampa warriors have been an integral part of Tibetan Army and have been protecting His Holiness Dalai Lama even at the cost of their lives.

Kham, a region in the south east of the ancient mighty Tibetan Kingdom is the birthplace of all Khampas, the legendary and fierce warriors mentioned in the history. A rugged mountainous area comprising of Hengduan mountains and several river valleys are like the nature of Khampas - looks pleasant when silent but can cause massive damage if disturbed. Kham area is referred in Tibetan history as "Chushi Gangdruk" which means the land of six mountains and four rivers. Since the very start, the Khampa warriors have been an integral part of Tibetan Army and have been protecting His Holiness Dalai Lama even at the cost of their lives. For a Khampa, life is always dedicated to his land and he is expected to fight till the last drop of his blood. When Communist China started invading the land of Buddha in 1950, and razed their monasteries in eastern Tibet, the Khampas or the "Buddha Warriors" - a name by which they are also known - formed different armed groups to fight. In 1959, when His Holiness Dalai Lama had to flee to India after situations become uneasy with Beijing, local Khampa tribesmen formed a strong resistance movement employing their guerrilla warfare against the invading Chinese army. The warriors were without any support and had to sustain at their own in the very beginning until the US started supporting them. The main concern of Washington and the CIA was to stop the spread of Communism especially in the pretext of a possible collaboration between erstwhile USSR and China. In the early sixties, the CIA decided to organise a covert military establishment inside Tibet. The Khampa's initial stories of success against China with their limited resource led the CIA to back the group with arms, funding and training them in guerrilla warfare from the late 1950s until 1969. The initial set of warriors were flown to the US and were trained in Camp Hale in Colorado. Soon thereafter, they set up their base camps in the then-kingdom of Mustang, which was a remote Himalayan region bordering Tibet but geographically located in Nepal. The training was tough and climate was not favourable. Moreover, the warriors had problems of food and other resources but all that couldn't deter the Khampas from their target. The initial lot of Khampas was also known as "Mustang Warriors". A former Khampa who also accompanied the Dalai Lama when he moved out of Tibet in 1959, says, "We were able to fight so hard because we were fighting for Tibet. The Tibetan people had lost their freedom. They were enduring many hardships. And we wanted to go return to Tibet. That was why we fought so hard." Despite the hardships and the political and military pressure from both China and Nepal, the armed group did succeed in temporarily taking control of large areas of Tibet during the territorial conflict. Since China feared these warriors and their potent guerrilla tactics, it compelled Nepal to send its forces into Mustang for the surrender of the Khampas. To avoid confrontation, the Dalai Lama, being the ultimate authority in Tibetan Buddhist culture, sent the fighters a taped message asking them to lay down their arms to spare themselves a bloody confrontation. While some of the warriors accepted the Dalai Lama's request, few of them chose to commit suicide rather than disobey their spiritual leader or face dishonour by surrendering. Even those who surrendered were murdered in cold blood by the joint team of Chinese and Nepalese army including the entire leadership of Khampa movement with their last General Wangdu, their last leader. You can kill few Khampas but not their spirit which is still alive in the Kham region. In the subsequent years, more and more Khampas took the oath to fight for their land and the Dalai Lama and formed another movement with the support of Indian government. "The movement will not die till we get back our motherland back from China. No matter how many of us perish but very soon we will be successful," says another fighter of the rank of a Colonel who is desperately waiting to fight for his leader, the Dalai Lama and his country.

Meet the Khampa warriors, who even the Chinese feared

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-officials-conduct-search-at-late-cm-jayalalithaas-residence-24487">IT officials conduct search at late CM Jayalalithaa&#39;s residence</a>

Income-Tax officials conducted a search at Veda Nilayam, the residence of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, at Poes Garden late on Friday. A report says electronic gadgets, including a laptop, desktop and other storage devices were seized.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-witnesses-overnight-drizzle-may-clear-up-pollution-24486">Overnight drizzle in Delhi may help ease up pollution</a>

Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/robert-mugabe-defiant-amid-mounting-pressure-to-step-down-from-his-party-24484">Robert Mugabe defiant amid mounting pressure to step down from his party</a>

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe appeared publicly Friday for the first time since the military takeover in a defiant gesture but faces pressure to step down from his party ahead of weekend protests.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/strong-earthquake-rattles-tibet-but-no-damage-reported-24485">6.9-magnitude earthquake rattles Tibet</a>

&nbsp;A strong intensity earthquake measuring 6.9 on Richter Scale hit Tibet&#39;s Nyingchi prefecture, located close to Arunachal Pradesh border, in the early hours of today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-hits-out-at-tharoor-over-maharaja-comments-24490">Smriti Irani hits out at Tharoor over &#39;maharaja&#39; comments</a>

Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday took a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for his reported &#39;maharaja&#39; comments amidst a row over period drama &#39;Padmavati&#39;.

As many as 15 officials led by an Additional Commissioner, swoop down on to Veda Nilayam armed with a search warrant but they were initially prevented from entering the building by police deployed on the road leading to the bungalow.

IT officials conduct search at late CM Jayalalithaa's residence Income-Tax officials conducted a search at Veda Nilayam, the residence of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, at Poes Garden late on Friday. A report says electronic gadgets, including a laptop, desktop and other storage devices were seized. Overnight drizzle in Delhi may help ease up pollution Pollution levels decreased further on Friday as Delhi received rainfall in some parts of the city, and is expected to witness more such drizzles on Saturday as well, an official from the MET department told the media. Robert Mugabe defiant amid mounting pressure to step down from his party Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe appeared publicly Friday for the first time since the military takeover in a defiant gesture but faces pressure to step down from his party ahead of weekend protests. 6.9-magnitude earthquake rattles Tibet A strong intensity earthquake measuring 6.9 on Richter Scale hit Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture, located close to Arunachal Pradesh border, in the early hours of today. Smriti Irani hits out at Tharoor over 'maharaja' comments Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday took a jibe at Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for his reported 'maharaja' comments amidst a row over period drama 'Padmavati'.

WION Morning News Brief, November 18, 2017

&nbsp;A strong intensity earthquake measuring 6.9 on Richter Scale hit Tibet&#39;s Nyingchi prefecture, located close to Arunachal Pradesh border, in the early hours of today.

The quake struck at 6:34 a.M (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The quake struck at a depth of about 10 km, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

It was followed by 5-magnitude earthquake at 8:31 a.M (Beijing time) around the same place in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The second quake struck at a depth of about 6 km.

Reports of any casualties and damage are awaited.

The magnitude measured at 6.9 occurred on a Saturday morning on the Tibetian plateau, but no damages have yet been reported.?

A strong intensity earthquake measuring 6.9 on Richter Scale hit Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture, located close to Arunachal Pradesh border, in the early hours of today. The quake struck at 6:34 a.M (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The quake struck at a depth of about 10 km, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. It was followed by 5-magnitude earthquake at 8:31 a.M (Beijing time) around the same place in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The second quake struck at a depth of about 6 km. Reports of any casualties and damage are awaited.

6.9-magnitude earthquake rattles Tibet

Rebuffing China&#39;s objection to her visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday and Sunday, defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the northeastern state is an Indian territory and India is not concerned about someone else&#39;s opinion.

China had objected to Sitharaman&#39;s first visit to the border state, saying her tour of the &quot;disputed area&quot; was not conducive to peace in the region.

India had rejected Beijing&#39;s objection and asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country.

&quot;What is the problem? There is no problem. It is our territory, we will go there,&quot; she said in a reply to a query on China&#39;s reaction on her visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

&quot;We are not concerned with someone else&#39;s opinion on this,&quot; Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Sitharaman visited army posts in remote Anjaw district of the state bordering China to take stock of defence preparedness. She also visited the Nathu La area on the India-China border in Sikkim last month and greeted the People&#39;s Liberation Army soldiers across the border.&nbsp;

Her &quot;friendly gesture&quot; had earned appreciation from the Chinese media.

Rebuffing China's objection to her visit to Arunachal Pradesh, defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the northeastern state is an Indian territory and country is not concerned about someone else's opinion on it

Rebuffing China's objection to her visit to Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday and Sunday, defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the northeastern state is an Indian territory and India is not concerned about someone else's opinion. China had objected to Sitharaman's first visit to the border state, saying her tour of the "disputed area" was not conducive to peace in the region. India had rejected Beijing's objection and asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country. "What is the problem? There is no problem. It is our territory, we will go there," she said in a reply to a query on China's reaction on her visit to Arunachal Pradesh. "We are not concerned with someone else's opinion on this," Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. Sitharaman visited army posts in remote Anjaw district of the state bordering China to take stock of defence preparedness. She also visited the Nathu La area on the India-China border in Sikkim last month and greeted the People's Liberation Army soldiers across the border. Her "friendly gesture" had earned appreciation from the Chinese media.

Arunachal visit: Sitharaman says 'It's our territory'

Chinese engineers are testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000km long tunnel, the world&rsquo;s longest, to divert water from the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh to the parched Xinjiang region, a media report said on Monday.

The move, that is expected to &ldquo;turn Xinjiang into California&rdquo;, has raised concerns among environmentalists about its likely impact on the Himalayan region, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The proposed tunnel, which would drop down from the world&rsquo;s highest plateau in multiple sections connected by waterfalls, would provide water to China&rsquo;s largest administrative division, comprising vast swathes of deserts and dry grasslands.

The water would be diverted from the Yarlung Tsangpo river in southern Tibet, which turns into the Brahmaputra once it enters India, to the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang. China&rsquo;s longest tunnel is the 85km Dahuofang water project in Liaoning province, while the world&rsquo;s longest tunnel is the 137km main water supply pipe beneath the city of New York.

India, a riparian state, has already flagged its concerns to Beijing about various dams being built by it on the Brahmaputra. Beijing has been assuring India and Bangladesh, which is also a recipient of water from the river, that its dams were of the run of river projects and not designed to storing water. Wang Wei, a researcher who helped draft the latest Tibet-Xinjiang water tunnel proposal, which was submitted to the central government in March, said more than 100 scientists formed different teams for the nationwide research effort.

He was part of the team which was led by China&rsquo;s top tunnelling expert, Wang Mengshu. The team, according to the report, suggested to drain the Brahmaputra at Sangri county in southern Tibet, close to Arunachal Pradesh. &ldquo;Sangri county featured a large, relatively flat valley that was ideal for the engineering project. An artificial island would be built in the middle of the river to create rapid turbulence, which could filter out sediment, and direct water to a well. The well could control the amount of water flowing into the tunnel,&rdquo; the report said.

The Chinese government started building a tunnel in the centre of Yunnan province in August that will be more than 600km long. Researchers said building the Yunnan tunnel would be a &ldquo;rehearsal&rdquo; of the new technology, engineering methods and equipment needed for the Tibet-Xinjiang tunnel, which would divert the Brahmaputra to the Taklimakan desert in Xinjiang, it said.

Chinese engineers say the Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as &ldquo;the roof of the world&rdquo;, stops the monsoon from the Indian Ocean reaching Xinjiang, leaving the Gobi desert in the north and the Taklimakan desert in the south unsuitable for human settlement. In recent decades, Chinese government departments, including the ministry of water resources, have come up with engineering blueprints involving huge dams, pumps and tunnels, the report said.

The project&rsquo;s enormous cost, engineering challenges, possible environmental impact and the likelihood of protests by neighbouring countries have meant it has never left the drawing board. But Zhang Chuanqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences&rsquo; Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics in Wuhan, Hubei province, said China was now taking a quiet, step-by-step approach to bring it to life. &ldquo;The water diversion project in central Yunnan is a demonstration project,&rdquo; said Zhang, who has played a key role in many major Chinese water tunnel projects, including the one in Yunnan.

&ldquo;It is to show we have the brains, muscle and tools to build super-long tunnels in hazardous terrains, and the cost does not break the bank,&rdquo; he was quoted as saying by the Post. The construction of the tunnel on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the country&rsquo;s second-highest, would make political leaders more confident about the Tibet-Xinjiang project and more likely to approve it, he said

Chinese engineers are testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000km long tunnel the world?s longest to divert water from the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh to the parched Xinjiang region.

Chinese engineers are testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000km long tunnel, the world’s longest, to divert water from the Brahmaputra river in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh to the parched Xinjiang region, a media report said on Monday. The move, that is expected to “turn Xinjiang into California”, has raised concerns among environmentalists about its likely impact on the Himalayan region, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The proposed tunnel, which would drop down from the world’s highest plateau in multiple sections connected by waterfalls, would provide water to China’s largest administrative division, comprising vast swathes of deserts and dry grasslands. The water would be diverted from the Yarlung Tsangpo river in southern Tibet, which turns into the Brahmaputra once it enters India, to the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang. China’s longest tunnel is the 85km Dahuofang water project in Liaoning province, while the world’s longest tunnel is the 137km main water supply pipe beneath the city of New York. India, a riparian state, has already flagged its concerns to Beijing about various dams being built by it on the Brahmaputra. Beijing has been assuring India and Bangladesh, which is also a recipient of water from the river, that its dams were of the run of river projects and not designed to storing water. Wang Wei, a researcher who helped draft the latest Tibet-Xinjiang water tunnel proposal, which was submitted to the central government in March, said more than 100 scientists formed different teams for the nationwide research effort. He was part of the team which was led by China’s top tunnelling expert, Wang Mengshu. The team, according to the report, suggested to drain the Brahmaputra at Sangri county in southern Tibet, close to Arunachal Pradesh. “Sangri county featured a large, relatively flat valley that was ideal for the engineering project. An artificial island would be built in the middle of the river to create rapid turbulence, which could filter out sediment, and direct water to a well. The well could control the amount of water flowing into the tunnel,” the report said. The Chinese government started building a tunnel in the centre of Yunnan province in August that will be more than 600km long. Researchers said building the Yunnan tunnel would be a “rehearsal” of the new technology, engineering methods and equipment needed for the Tibet-Xinjiang tunnel, which would divert the Brahmaputra to the Taklimakan desert in Xinjiang, it said. Chinese engineers say the Tibetan Plateau, often referred to as “the roof of the world”, stops the monsoon from the Indian Ocean reaching Xinjiang, leaving the Gobi desert in the north and the Taklimakan desert in the south unsuitable for human settlement. In recent decades, Chinese government departments, including the ministry of water resources, have come up with engineering blueprints involving huge dams, pumps and tunnels, the report said. The project’s enormous cost, engineering challenges, possible environmental impact and the likelihood of protests by neighbouring countries have meant it has never left the drawing board. But Zhang Chuanqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics in Wuhan, Hubei province, said China was now taking a quiet, step-by-step approach to bring it to life. “The water diversion project in central Yunnan is a demonstration project,” said Zhang, who has played a key role in many major Chinese water tunnel projects, including the one in Yunnan. “It is to show we have the brains, muscle and tools to build super-long tunnels in hazardous terrains, and the cost does not break the bank,” he was quoted as saying by the Post. The construction of the tunnel on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the country’s second-highest, would make political leaders more confident about the Tibet-Xinjiang project and more likely to approve it, he said

China wants to 'turn Xinjiang into California', plans 1,000km tunnel to divert Brahmaputra water

President Xi Jinping has told herdsmen from a Tibetan settlement bordering Arunachal Pradesh to &quot;set down roots&quot; to safeguard &quot;Chinese territory&quot; and focus on developing their hometown.

&quot;Without peace in the territory, there will be no peaceful lives for the millions of families,&quot; Xi, who began his second term in office after the once-in-five-years Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) this week endorsed his second tenure, wrote to a herding family in Lhunze County in Tibet, official media reported today.

Xi told the herding family from Lhunze County, near the Himalayas in southwest China&#39;s Tibet Autonomous Region, to set down roots in the border area, safeguard &quot;Chinese territory&quot; and develop their hometown.

India asserts that the Sino-Indian border dispute covers the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, while China claims it is confined to about 2,000 kms to the area of Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Southern Tibet.

The family is based in Yumai, China&#39;s smallest town in terms of population at the southern foot of the Himalayas, where steep slopes and rugged paths make it difficult to live, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Xi acknowledged the family&#39;s efforts to &quot;safeguard the territory, and thanked them for the loyalty and contributions they have made in the border area,&quot; the report said.

Xi, who also heads the Central Military Commission - the overall high command of the Chinese military, made the remarks in a reply delivered to the Tibetan herders yesterday after they wrote to him introducing their township, the Xinhua report said.

The Chinese president hoped that the family would motivate more herders to set down roots in the border area &quot;like galsang flowers,&quot; and become guardians of Chinese territory and builders of a happy hometown.

Fresh off the 19th CPC Congress, Xi told the family that the party would continue to lead people of all ethnic groups towards better lives, the report said.

Two girls - Zhoigar and Yangzom - from the Tibetan family wrote the letter to Xi while the Congress was in session in Beijing, telling him their experiences in safeguarding the border area and the development of their township over the years.

Xi told the herding family from Lhunze County, near the Himalayas in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, to set down roots in the border area, safeguard 'Chinese territory' and develop their hometown

President Xi Jinping has told herdsmen from a Tibetan settlement bordering Arunachal Pradesh to "set down roots" to safeguard "Chinese territory" and focus on developing their hometown. "Without peace in the territory, there will be no peaceful lives for the millions of families," Xi, who began his second term in office after the once-in-five-years Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) this week endorsed his second tenure, wrote to a herding family in Lhunze County in Tibet, official media reported today. Xi told the herding family from Lhunze County, near the Himalayas in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, to set down roots in the border area, safeguard "Chinese territory" and develop their hometown. India asserts that the Sino-Indian border dispute covers the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control, while China claims it is confined to about 2,000 kms to the area of Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Southern Tibet. The family is based in Yumai, China's smallest town in terms of population at the southern foot of the Himalayas, where steep slopes and rugged paths make it difficult to live, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Xi acknowledged the family's efforts to "safeguard the territory, and thanked them for the loyalty and contributions they have made in the border area," the report said. Xi, who also heads the Central Military Commission - the overall high command of the Chinese military, made the remarks in a reply delivered to the Tibetan herders yesterday after they wrote to him introducing their township, the Xinhua report said. The Chinese president hoped that the family would motivate more herders to set down roots in the border area "like galsang flowers," and become guardians of Chinese territory and builders of a happy hometown. Fresh off the 19th CPC Congress, Xi told the family that the party would continue to lead people of all ethnic groups towards better lives, the report said. Two girls - Zhoigar and Yangzom - from the Tibetan family wrote the letter to Xi while the Congress was in session in Beijing, telling him their experiences in safeguarding the border area and the development of their township over the years.

Guard Chinese soil, Xi tells herdsmen from Arunachal border

China has opened a&nbsp; strategic highway in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/be-good-audience-china-state-media-says-after-india-skips-obor-15593">Tibet linking Nepal which experts said will&nbsp;forge a</a> route to South Asia, China&#39;s state-run Global Times reported.

The Tibet highway between Xigaze airport and Xigaze city centre officially opened to the public on Friday,&nbsp;with a short section linking the national highway to the Nepal border.

The road links the city&#39;s ring road with the G318 highway from Shanghai to Zhangmu on the Nepal border, the report said.

The highway between Xigaze peace airport and Xigaze is 2-meter-wide with&nbsp;four double lanes, is classified as a first-tier highway.

The 40.4-kilometer highway will shorten the journey from an hour to 30 minutes between the dual-use civil and military airport and Tibet&#39;s second-largest city, the Tibet&#39;s Financial Daily reported. &nbsp;

In May, Nepal&rsquo;s foreign secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and Chinese ambassador Yu Hong had signed a MoU under Beijing&rsquo;s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative which is China&#39;s attempt to build a Silk Road to fuel its ambitious trade projects which could also be used for military purposes.

According to a World Bank body, Nepal imported goods worth $6.6 billion in 2015 and exported goods worth $660 million, China&#39;s intends to increase its trade relations with the Himalayan kingdom to cut India&#39;s influence.

The highway&nbsp;experts say is China&#39;s first step towards putting the OBOR network to work.

The highway could be used by China for trade and defence purposes

China has opened a strategic highway in Tibet linking Nepal which experts said will forge a route to South Asia, China's state-run Global Times reported. The Tibet highway between Xigaze airport and Xigaze city centre officially opened to the public on Friday, with a short section linking the national highway to the Nepal border. The road links the city's ring road with the G318 highway from Shanghai to Zhangmu on the Nepal border, the report said. The highway between Xigaze peace airport and Xigaze is 2-meter-wide with four double lanes, is classified as a first-tier highway. The 40.4-kilometer highway will shorten the journey from an hour to 30 minutes between the dual-use civil and military airport and Tibet's second-largest city, the Tibet's Financial Daily reported. In May, Nepal’s foreign secretary Shanker Das Bairagi and Chinese ambassador Yu Hong had signed a MoU under Beijing’s One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative which is China's attempt to build a Silk Road to fuel its ambitious trade projects which could also be used for military purposes. According to a World Bank body, Nepal imported goods worth $6.6 billion in 2015 and exported goods worth $660 million, China's intends to increase its trade relations with the Himalayan kingdom to cut India's influence. The highway experts say is China's first step towards putting the OBOR network to work.

One Belt, One Road? China opens highway in Tibet linking Nepal border

There is no significant rise in deployment of troops by China along the Sino-India border and its recent military exercise in the Tibet region should not be linked to the current standoff between the armies of the two countries in Dokalam, top government sources said today.

The sources said the exercise was a routine military drill by China and that its western theatre command has not made any major enhancement in its military might in the wake of the face-off that should trigger alarm bells in India. The command looks after the 3,488-km-long border with India.

The remarks by the government sources come against the backdrop of a report in the official mouthpiece of Chinese military that China&#39;s Army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the remote mountainous Tibet region after the face off with Indian troops in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector.

The vast haul was transported late last month, the report said but did not clarify whether the movement of the military equipment was to support the exercise in Tibet or for other reasons.

Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area.

Referring to Chinese military&#39;s recent live-fire exercise in the mountainous Tibet region, the government sources said it was a routine drill and will be an exaggeration to link it with the border face-off.

China&#39;s military yesterday had said it conducted the exercise to test its strike capability on plateaus.

China has been ratcheting up rhetoric against India in the recent weeks following the face-off between the armies of the two nation in the Bhutan tri-junction.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, while briefing a parliamentary panel on external affairs yesterday, maintained that New Delhi is engaged with Beijing in defusing tension through diplomatic channels.

A report in the Chinese military mouthpiece said that the army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the Tibet region

There is no significant rise in deployment of troops by China along the Sino-India border and its recent military exercise in the Tibet region should not be linked to the current standoff between the armies of the two countries in Dokalam, top government sources said today. The sources said the exercise was a routine military drill by China and that its western theatre command has not made any major enhancement in its military might in the wake of the face-off that should trigger alarm bells in India. The command looks after the 3,488-km-long border with India. The remarks by the government sources come against the backdrop of a report in the official mouthpiece of Chinese military that China's Army has moved tens of thousands of tonnes of military vehicles and hardware into the remote mountainous Tibet region after the face off with Indian troops in Dokalam in the Sikkim sector. The vast haul was transported late last month, the report said but did not clarify whether the movement of the military equipment was to support the exercise in Tibet or for other reasons. Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face- off for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the area. Referring to Chinese military's recent live-fire exercise in the mountainous Tibet region, the government sources said it was a routine drill and will be an exaggeration to link it with the border face-off. China's military yesterday had said it conducted the exercise to test its strike capability on plateaus. China has been ratcheting up rhetoric against India in the recent weeks following the face-off between the armies of the two nation in the Bhutan tri-junction. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, while briefing a parliamentary panel on external affairs yesterday, maintained that New Delhi is engaged with Beijing in defusing tension through diplomatic channels.

No significant rise in Chinese troop deployment: Government sources

In an unprecedented move, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi has released a video that talks directly to the&nbsp;Indian public.&nbsp;

In the video -- which is 3 minutes and 29 seconds long -- the embassy&#39;s political counsellor talks about the current standoff between India and China in Doklam.&nbsp;

Doklam is a plateau near where Bhutan, India (Sikkim), and Tibet meet.&nbsp;

India believes it belongs to Bhutan.&nbsp;

China claims it, and China and Bhutan are currently in talks to resolve the dispute.&nbsp;

Bhutan however has no diplomatic ties with China.&nbsp;

The standoff, reports say, began on June 16 this year when the Chinese Army began building a road in the region.&nbsp;

The Bhutanese Army tried to stop them but were pushed back.&nbsp;

They then approached Indian troops for help, who intervened, leading to the standoff.&nbsp;

In the video, the political counsellor says: &quot;Some Indian friends are deeply worried about the face-off between Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;I have been to the China-Indian and China-Bhutan border areas many times, and have first-hand knowledge about Doklam. In this sense, I would like to share my perception on the current situation in Doklam.&quot;&nbsp;

He then goes on to say that &quot;on June 18, Indian troops crossed the Sikkim section of the China-India border, triggering the close-range face off.&quot;&nbsp;

He then says that &quot;this section is delimited by the The Convention between China and Great Britain Relating to Tibet and Sikkim in 1890.&quot;&nbsp;

And adds that &quot;In essence, China&#39;s territorial sovereignity has been undermined by the Indian border troops.&quot;&nbsp;

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eD27gE0A3Ws?ecver=1" width="560"></iframe>

He then says: &quot;After the incident, the Indian side claims that Doklam belongs to Bhutan, Chinese side changed the status quo and India has security concern. These are three major arguments of Indian side to justify its trespassing into the Chinese territory.&nbsp;

He then says &quot;these are three major arguments of Indian side to justify its trespassing into the Chinese territory.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;Based on my knowledge... &quot;, he then says, &quot;I would like to say India&#39;s positions are groundless.&quot;&nbsp;

Then: &quot;As to &#39;Doklam belongs to Bhutan&#39;, we have strong evidence to prove that Doklam belongs to China.&quot;&nbsp;

After giving his evidence, he concludes: &quot;As far as the solution is concerned, the Indian troops must pull back unconditionally and immediately. That is the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between China and India.&quot;&nbsp;

It is unclear what the Chinese hope to achieve by the video.&nbsp;

The standoff has had a number of consequences, including the calling off of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra -- through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim -- into Tibet.&nbsp;

The Chinese state-run Global Times, which is known to be hawkish, has run a number of alarming editorials egging on the dispute.&nbsp;

In one, the paper has said &ldquo;India has startling control and oppression over Bhutan, and as a result, Bhutan has not established diplomatic ties with its neighbor China or any other permanent member of the UN Security Council. Through unequal treaties, India has severely jeopardized Bhutan&#39;s diplomatic sovereignty and controls its national defense,&rdquo;

In another, it said China should encourage pro-independence feelings in Sikkim.&nbsp;

China had recognised Sikkim&#39;s 1975 merger with India in 2003 but the Global Times editorial said that stance could always be reversed.&nbsp;

Finally, just today, China said there would be no one-on-one meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Xinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, to which India replied that none had been planned in the first place.&nbsp;

It is unclear what the Chinese hope the video will actually achieve

In an unprecedented move, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi has released a video that talks directly to the Indian public. In the video -- which is 3 minutes and 29 seconds long -- the embassy's political counsellor talks about the current standoff between India and China in Doklam. Doklam is a plateau near where Bhutan, India (Sikkim), and Tibet meet. India believes it belongs to Bhutan. China claims it, and China and Bhutan are currently in talks to resolve the dispute. Bhutan however has no diplomatic ties with China. The standoff, reports say, began on June 16 this year when the Chinese Army began building a road in the region. The Bhutanese Army tried to stop them but were pushed back. They then approached Indian troops for help, who intervened, leading to the standoff. In the video, the political counsellor says: "Some Indian friends are deeply worried about the face-off between Chinese and Indian troops in Doklam." "I have been to the China-Indian and China-Bhutan border areas many times, and have first-hand knowledge about Doklam. In this sense, I would like to share my perception on the current situation in Doklam." He then goes on to say that "on June 18, Indian troops crossed the Sikkim section of the China-India border, triggering the close-range face off." He then says that "this section is delimited by the The Convention between China and Great Britain Relating to Tibet and Sikkim in 1890." And adds that "In essence, China's territorial sovereignity has been undermined by the Indian border troops." He then says: "After the incident, the Indian side claims that Doklam belongs to Bhutan, Chinese side changed the status quo and India has security concern. These are three major arguments of Indian side to justify its trespassing into the Chinese territory. He then says "these are three major arguments of Indian side to justify its trespassing into the Chinese territory." "Based on my knowledge... ", he then says, "I would like to say India's positions are groundless." Then: "As to 'Doklam belongs to Bhutan', we have strong evidence to prove that Doklam belongs to China." After giving his evidence, he concludes: "As far as the solution is concerned, the Indian troops must pull back unconditionally and immediately. That is the precondition for any meaningful dialogue between China and India." It is unclear what the Chinese hope to achieve by the video. The standoff has had a number of consequences, including the calling off of the Kailash Mansarovar yatra -- through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim -- into Tibet. The Chinese state-run Global Times, which is known to be hawkish, has run a number of alarming editorials egging on the dispute. In one, the paper has said “India has startling control and oppression over Bhutan, and as a result, Bhutan has not established diplomatic ties with its neighbor China or any other permanent member of the UN Security Council. Through unequal treaties, India has severely jeopardized Bhutan's diplomatic sovereignty and controls its national defense,” In another, it said China should encourage pro-independence feelings in Sikkim. China had recognised Sikkim's 1975 merger with India in 2003 but the Global Times editorial said that stance could always be reversed. Finally, just today, China said there would be no one-on-one meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Xinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, to which India replied that none had been planned in the first place.

Watch: Chinese embassy in Delhi releases video explaining its side of Doklam standoff

When Donald Trump was elected in November, the Dalai Lama said he was keen to meet the incoming US president, but since then Trump has cozied up to China&#39;s leader Xi Jinping, making it less likely the man Beijing deems a separatist will get an invite to the White House anytime soon.

The United States has long recognised Tibet as part of the People&#39;s Republic of China, and does not back Tibetan independence. But that has not deterred all the recent US presidents before Trump from meeting the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

The United States is widely seen as the last major Western power that has still held meetings with the Dalai Lama despite Beijing&#39;s objections that such encounters foment separatism.

In past meetings, the US had consistently voiced support for the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China, and called for formal talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama and his representatives.

A State Department spokeswoman and a White House official referred Reuters to the Dalai Lama&#39;s office when asked whether the Tibetan spiritual leader and his representatives had asked for a meeting with Trump and whether any such meetings were planned.

The Chinese foreign ministry didn&#39;t immediately respond to a faxed request asking whether Beijing had asked Trump not to meet the Dalai Lama.

&quot;His Holiness was supposed to go (to the US) in April, but it was postponed,&quot; Lobsang Sangay, head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, told Reuters.

That trip has been delayed until June due to a hectic schedule in the preceding months that had left the Dalai Lama physically exhausted, Sangay said, adding that Washington DC wouldn&#39;t be part of the June itinerary.

The office of the Dalai Lama hasn&#39;t reached out to Trump to arrange a meeting yet, he said.

The Dalai Lama is taking a more considered approach with regard to any meeting with Trump, said a source with knowledge of the thinking of the winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize.

The unpredictable US president upset protocol in December when weeks before being sworn into office he took a telephone call from the leader of self-ruled Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, only to last week rebuff Taiwanese suggestions of another call.

In the interim, Trump has met and phoned Xi, and says he has built a strong relationship with the Chinese leader.

He called Xi &quot;a friend of mine&quot; who was &quot;doing an amazing job as a leader&quot; in an interview with Reuters last week, and praised him for trying to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea. In return, the Chinese president has invited Trump to visit China this year.

In mid-2008, then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met the Dalai Lama, to the anger of Beijing. Months later, the British Foreign Secretary at that time David Miliband ditched Britain&#39;s near century-long position on Tibet, describing it as an &quot;anachronism&quot;, and explicitly recognised Tibet as part of China.

Based on treaties signed at the turn of the 20th century by British-administered India and Tibet, Britain had previously said it would recognise China&#39;s &quot;special position&quot; in Tibet on the condition that Tibet was given significant autonomy.

Silence from Trump

Chinese troops took control of Tibet in 1950 in what Beijing calls a &quot;peaceful liberation&quot;. Nine years later, the Dalai Lama fled to India after an abortive uprising and set up a government in exile, which China does not recognise.

China sees the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist in a monk&#39;s robes, even though the Dalai Lama says he wants autonomy for his homeland, not outright independence.

There have been no formal talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama&#39;s representatives since 2010.

International rights groups and exiles say China stamps on the religious and cultural rights of Tibetans, accusations denied by Beijing. China says its rule has ended serfdom and brought prosperity to a once-backward trans-Himalayan region.

Trump has been silent on Tibetan issues.

&quot;The main change is that the US approach on Tibet seems likely to become more transactional and therefore less consistent,&quot; said Robbie Barnett, director of the Modern Tibetan Studies Program at Columbia University.

&quot;It seems set to become more a question of contingency, dependent on how he calculates his relationship with China at any one moment.&quot;

Earlier this week, Democratic US Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts called for a new US policy towards Tibet to safeguard the identity of the Tibetan people and hold China accountable for human rights abuses.

The prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said he is still hopeful that the United States will continue to support Tibetan issues and push for talks between the Dalai Lama&#39;s representatives and Beijing.

But he said they were prepared for any upsets.

&quot;We are Buddhists, we believe in impermanence. You just go with your karma and whatever happens, happens, because we have seen the worst, the occupation of our country,&quot; said Sangay, who is planning a trip to Washington at the end of May.

(Reuters)

The United States has long recognised Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China, and does not back Tibetan independence

When Donald Trump was elected in November, the Dalai Lama said he was keen to meet the incoming US president, but since then Trump has cozied up to China's leader Xi Jinping, making it less likely the man Beijing deems a separatist will get an invite to the White House anytime soon. The United States has long recognised Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China, and does not back Tibetan independence. But that has not deterred all the recent US presidents before Trump from meeting the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The United States is widely seen as the last major Western power that has still held meetings with the Dalai Lama despite Beijing's objections that such encounters foment separatism. In past meetings, the US had consistently voiced support for the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China, and called for formal talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama and his representatives. A State Department spokeswoman and a White House official referred Reuters to the Dalai Lama's office when asked whether the Tibetan spiritual leader and his representatives had asked for a meeting with Trump and whether any such meetings were planned. The Chinese foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to a faxed request asking whether Beijing had asked Trump not to meet the Dalai Lama. "His Holiness was supposed to go (to the US) in April, but it was postponed," Lobsang Sangay, head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, told Reuters. That trip has been delayed until June due to a hectic schedule in the preceding months that had left the Dalai Lama physically exhausted, Sangay said, adding that Washington DC wouldn't be part of the June itinerary. The office of the Dalai Lama hasn't reached out to Trump to arrange a meeting yet, he said. The Dalai Lama is taking a more considered approach with regard to any meeting with Trump, said a source with knowledge of the thinking of the winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. The unpredictable US president upset protocol in December when weeks before being sworn into office he took a telephone call from the leader of self-ruled Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, only to last week rebuff Taiwanese suggestions of another call. In the interim, Trump has met and phoned Xi, and says he has built a strong relationship with the Chinese leader. He called Xi "a friend of mine" who was "doing an amazing job as a leader" in an interview with Reuters last week, and praised him for trying to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea. In return, the Chinese president has invited Trump to visit China this year. In mid-2008, then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met the Dalai Lama, to the anger of Beijing. Months later, the British Foreign Secretary at that time David Miliband ditched Britain's near century-long position on Tibet, describing it as an "anachronism", and explicitly recognised Tibet as part of China. Based on treaties signed at the turn of the 20th century by British-administered India and Tibet, Britain had previously said it would recognise China's "special position" in Tibet on the condition that Tibet was given significant autonomy. Silence from Trump Chinese troops took control of Tibet in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Nine years later, the Dalai Lama fled to India after an abortive uprising and set up a government in exile, which China does not recognise. China sees the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist in a monk's robes, even though the Dalai Lama says he wants autonomy for his homeland, not outright independence. There have been no formal talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama's representatives since 2010. International rights groups and exiles say China stamps on the religious and cultural rights of Tibetans, accusations denied by Beijing. China says its rule has ended serfdom and brought prosperity to a once-backward trans-Himalayan region. Trump has been silent on Tibetan issues. "The main change is that the US approach on Tibet seems likely to become more transactional and therefore less consistent," said Robbie Barnett, director of the Modern Tibetan Studies Program at Columbia University. "It seems set to become more a question of contingency, dependent on how he calculates his relationship with China at any one moment." Earlier this week, Democratic US Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts called for a new US policy towards Tibet to safeguard the identity of the Tibetan people and hold China accountable for human rights abuses. The prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said he is still hopeful that the United States will continue to support Tibetan issues and push for talks between the Dalai Lama's representatives and Beijing. But he said they were prepared for any upsets. "We are Buddhists, we believe in impermanence. You just go with your karma and whatever happens, happens, because we have seen the worst, the occupation of our country," said Sangay, who is planning a trip to Washington at the end of May. (Reuters)

Dalai Lama to wait longer for White House invite as Trump cozies up to China's Xi

China said on Wednesday that India&#39;s decision to host Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on a contested stretch of land on the India-China border would cause serious damage to relations between the two countries.

The Dalai Lama&#39;s week-long trip to Arunchal Pradesh, an eastern Himalayan region administered by New Delhi, but claimed by China as &quot;southern Tibet&quot;, has raised hackles in Beijing, which labels the monk a dangerous separatist.

&quot;China expresses firm opposition to this and will lodge stern representations with the Indian side,&quot; foreign ministry spokeswomen Hua Chunying told a regular briefing in the Chinese capital.

The 81-year-old Buddhist monk and Nobel peace laureate had planned to fly by helicopter to the 17th-century Tawang monastery and hold three days of spiritual teachings starting on Wednesday. However, heavy rainfall forced him to travel by road - a two-day drive through rugged mountain terrain - and he is not now expected to arrive until Friday.

The Dalai Lama received a rapturous welcome on Tuesday in the town of Bomdila, with large crowds turning out in streets festooned with flags, as musicians and dancers clad in traditional costumes performed before his sport-utility vehicle. Later, the maroon-robed prelate walked slowly through the crowds, a fellow monk supporting him by the arm and another holding a large umbrella overhead to shield him from the rain.

Indian officials have dismissed China&#39;s criticism of the Dalai Lama&#39;s second visit to Arunachal Pradesh in eight years, saying he is a spiritual leader who has a devoted following in the region.

&quot;His visit to this part of the country is totally religious,&quot; the state&#39;s chief minister, Pema Khandu, told Reuters Television. &quot;As far as the boundary issue is concerned, I have also maintained that we don&#39;t share our boundary with China, but we share our boundary with Tibet.&quot;

SEVERELY DAMAGED

China has repeatedly criticised visits by foreign officials to Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls South Tibet and over which it has a long-standing claim.

In its latest broadside, Beijing said that by ignoring China&#39;s concerns and persisting in arranging the trip, India had &quot;severely damaged China&#39;s interests and China-India relations&quot;.

&quot;We demand that India immediately cease using the Dalai Lama&#39;s mistaken behaviour to damage China&#39;s interests,&quot; Hua added. &quot;It will not bring any benefit to India. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights.&quot;

The Dalai Lama fled in 1959 over the border not far from the Tawang monastery, the largest of its kind in India. At the start of his tour, he was reunited with an elderly Indian border guard who had helped him to safety. He now resides in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, where his supporters also run a small government in exile. He has renounced any political role in leading the Tibetan diaspora.

The Indian government has rejected China&#39;s criticism of the Dalai Lama&#39;s visit - his first to Arunachal Pradesh since 2009.

&quot;The government has clearly stated on several occasions that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a revered religious leader, who is deeply respected by the Indian people,&quot; it said in its latest statement on the matter. &quot;The government, therefore, urges that no artificial controversy be created around his present visit to Arunachal Pradesh.&quot;

(Reuters)

Despite China's wording, India called him a 'revered religious leader' and requested no 'artificial controversy' be created around his visit

China said on Wednesday that India's decision to host Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on a contested stretch of land on the India-China border would cause serious damage to relations between the two countries. The Dalai Lama's week-long trip to Arunchal Pradesh, an eastern Himalayan region administered by New Delhi, but claimed by China as "southern Tibet", has raised hackles in Beijing, which labels the monk a dangerous separatist. "China expresses firm opposition to this and will lodge stern representations with the Indian side," foreign ministry spokeswomen Hua Chunying told a regular briefing in the Chinese capital. The 81-year-old Buddhist monk and Nobel peace laureate had planned to fly by helicopter to the 17th-century Tawang monastery and hold three days of spiritual teachings starting on Wednesday. However, heavy rainfall forced him to travel by road - a two-day drive through rugged mountain terrain - and he is not now expected to arrive until Friday. The Dalai Lama received a rapturous welcome on Tuesday in the town of Bomdila, with large crowds turning out in streets festooned with flags, as musicians and dancers clad in traditional costumes performed before his sport-utility vehicle. Later, the maroon-robed prelate walked slowly through the crowds, a fellow monk supporting him by the arm and another holding a large umbrella overhead to shield him from the rain. Indian officials have dismissed China's criticism of the Dalai Lama's second visit to Arunachal Pradesh in eight years, saying he is a spiritual leader who has a devoted following in the region. "His visit to this part of the country is totally religious," the state's chief minister, Pema Khandu, told Reuters Television. "As far as the boundary issue is concerned, I have also maintained that we don't share our boundary with China, but we share our boundary with Tibet." SEVERELY DAMAGED China has repeatedly criticised visits by foreign officials to Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls South Tibet and over which it has a long-standing claim. In its latest broadside, Beijing said that by ignoring China's concerns and persisting in arranging the trip, India had "severely damaged China's interests and China-India relations". "We demand that India immediately cease using the Dalai Lama's mistaken behaviour to damage China's interests," Hua added. "It will not bring any benefit to India. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights." The Dalai Lama fled in 1959 over the border not far from the Tawang monastery, the largest of its kind in India. At the start of his tour, he was reunited with an elderly Indian border guard who had helped him to safety. He now resides in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, where his supporters also run a small government in exile. He has renounced any political role in leading the Tibetan diaspora. The Indian government has rejected China's criticism of the Dalai Lama's visit - his first to Arunachal Pradesh since 2009. "The government has clearly stated on several occasions that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a revered religious leader, who is deeply respected by the Indian people," it said in its latest statement on the matter. "The government, therefore, urges that no artificial controversy be created around his present visit to Arunachal Pradesh." (Reuters)

China denounces India hosting Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh

China has started transporting bottled water from Tibet to other parts of the country on Wednesday.

With Tibet being rich in water resources, China has planned to transport water to its inland areas.

On Wednesday, the first charter train, carrying&nbsp;1,890 tonnes of bottled water in 35 carriages, left Tibet&#39;s capital city Lhasa to embark on a six-day journey to China&#39;s eastern province of&nbsp;Zhejiang.

Beijing plans to transport water to other cities as well, with&nbsp;Beijing, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Lanzhou being earmarked to be beneficiaries of the project.

It produced over 400,000 tonnes of natural drinking water in 2015, but high transport costs made it difficult to reach the inland market, the report said. 
 
The new trains will facilitate trade in areas along the railway route and help Tibet shift its resource advantages into economic ones, said Yu Heping, it quoted a local official as saying. 
 
Identifying its fresh water resources as a new sustainable economic pillar of growth, Tibet plans to raise its annual production capacity of drinking water to five million tonnes in the next three to five years, it said.

(WION with inputs from PTI)

The first such train, carrying?1,890 tonnes of bottled water, left Tibet to embark on a six-day journey to Zhejiang province

China has started transporting bottled water from Tibet to other parts of the country on Wednesday. With Tibet being rich in water resources, China has planned to transport water to its inland areas. On Wednesday, the first charter train, carrying 1,890 tonnes of bottled water in 35 carriages, left Tibet's capital city Lhasa to embark on a six-day journey to China's eastern province of Zhejiang. Beijing plans to transport water to other cities as well, with Beijing, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Lanzhou being earmarked to be beneficiaries of the project. It produced over 400,000 tonnes of natural drinking water in 2015, but high transport costs made it difficult to reach the inland market, the report said. The new trains will facilitate trade in areas along the railway route and help Tibet shift its resource advantages into economic ones, said Yu Heping, it quoted a local official as saying. Identifying its fresh water resources as a new sustainable economic pillar of growth, Tibet plans to raise its annual production capacity of drinking water to five million tonnes in the next three to five years, it said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

China starts transporting bottled water from Tibet

Narrow lanes hiding the flashes of Tibetan marvels, the faint smell of burning incense, women in traditional attire making fresh momos and the echoes of the singing bowl -- doesn&#39;t it form a beautiful picture?

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7KavCpmprLU" width="560"></iframe>

We are talking about the &#39;Little Tibet&#39; situated in Delhi on the banks of river Yamuna. Majnu ka Tilla or MKT, as it is popularly known, houses Tibetan refugees. &nbsp;The colony serves as their home away from home and is replete with hotels, shops, guest houses and monasteries.

This alternate setting seems completely untouched by the changing times. Experience this magical journey in about 5 minutes through this video!

This alternate setting seems completely untouched by the changing times

Narrow lanes hiding the flashes of Tibetan marvels, the faint smell of burning incense, women in traditional attire making fresh momos and the echoes of the singing bowl -- doesn't it form a beautiful picture? We are talking about the 'Little Tibet' situated in Delhi on the banks of river Yamuna. Majnu ka Tilla or MKT, as it is popularly known, houses Tibetan refugees. The colony serves as their home away from home and is replete with hotels, shops, guest houses and monasteries. This alternate setting seems completely untouched by the changing times. Experience this magical journey in about 5 minutes through this video!

Video: Little Tibet - A home away from home

Wu Yingjie has worked almost his entire career in Tibet, having previously served as a deputy governor and propaganda chief

China's ruling Communist Party appointed a new senior official on Sunday to run Tibet, considered one of the country's most politically sensitive positions due to periodic anti-Chinese unrest in the devoutly Buddhist Himalayan region. The official Xinhua news agency named Wu Yingjie as Tibet's next party secretary. New leaders were also appointed in two other key provinces, part of a broad reshuffle ahead of an important party meeting next year. Wu has worked almost his entire career in Tibet, according to his official resume, having previously served as a deputy governor and propaganda chief, among other roles. Wu, like his predecessor Chen Quanguo, belongs to China's majority Han Chinese ethnic group rather. Xinhua said Chen would be taking another position without giving further details. Communist troops marched in and took control of Tibet in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a failed uprising against the Chinese. China says its rule has brought prosperity and stability, rejecting claims from Tibetan exiles and rights groups of widespread repression. Xinhua said new party bosses had also been appointed to serve in the strategically located southwestern province of Yunnan and the populous southern province of Hunan. In Yunnan, which sits of the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, Chen Hao replaced Li Jiheng, while in Hunan, Du Jiahao has assumed the party's top job, Xinhua said. Both Chen and Du worked with President Xi Jinping when he ran China's commercial capital, Shanghai, as its Communist Party chief for a year in 2007, according to their resumes. The party will hold a once-every-five-years congress next autumn where Xi is expected to further cement his hold on power by seeking to appoint close allies into the party's ruling inner core, the politburo and the politburo standing committee. The year leading up to that will see Xi appoint more new people into major provincial and government positions, sources with ties to the leadership say. (Reuters)

China appoints new Tibet chief

As Tibetan riders waved rifles and dug cowboy-booted feet into their horses&#39; flanks, hanging sideways from their mounts, tourists and locals cheered and snapped pictures on digital cameras and smartphones. 
 
Set between emerald hills on the Himalayan plateau, some 3,700 metres above sea level, Yushu&#39;s annual equine festival is billed as a showcase of Chinese government support for Tibetan culture. 
 
Women were draped in their finest jewellery, wearing beads of turquoise, yellow amber and red coral over flower-patterned traditional dresses known as chuba. Monks in crimson robes flitted through the crowds. 
 
But beyond the imagery, the festival also displayed the impact of both modernisation and Beijing&#39;s rule on the region, which Chinese forces occupied in 1951. 
 
Beneath grassy hills spiderwebbed with white prayer flags, Sonam Dolma set up a tent stall selling bottled mineral water, Coca-Cola and Red Bull. 
 
Now 51, she recalled helping tame wild horses as a teenager on the plateau where her nomad family raised yaks, and was unimpressed by this year&#39;s athletics. 
 
&quot;When I was young there would be a horse festival each year,&quot; she said. &quot;The skill was very high. The horses were big and strong.&quot; 
 
Now, she added, the animals were smaller and slower. &quot;A lot of the best horses have been sold because people turn to technology.&quot; 
 
Many Tibetans have traded nomadism for life in the cities as part of an urbanisation drive pushed by Beijing, sometimes by force, and many who remain on the land prefer motorbikes for road transport. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m just not that good at riding any more,&quot; 31-year-old nomad Jargaringqin told AFP, chewing on yak jerky as dried dung burned in his stove. 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/china2-20160805090549.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Many Tibetans have traded nomadism for life in the cities as part of an urbanisation drive pushed by Beijing.
</div>
 
Resistance to Chinese rule 
 
Yushu -- known as Jyekundo in Tibetan and now in the northwestern Chinese province of Qinghai -- is home to the Khampa, a traditionally martial people whose dialect is impenetrable to most Tibetans. 
 
In the late 1950s the Khampa -- sometimes aided by CIA training and weapons -- staged the fiercest Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule, killing 800 Communist soldiers in one raid. 
 
Their forces were crushed after the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959. 
 
Herders had their guns confiscated, but the weapons made a comeback in tourist displays at the five-day event, which saw male riders competing in speed races and trotting competitions. 
 
The festival was suspended for several years following a major earthquake which ravaged Yushu in 2008, killing some 2,700 people. 
 
As part of reconstruction, authorities built a horse-racing stadium with concrete stands and plastic seating to host the festival&#39;s opening ceremony. 
 
Local Communist officials control the event, determining who races, sponsoring travel costs for riders and archers from rural counties, and handing out cash prizes to winners. 
 
&quot;I am deciding who competes,&quot; explained a woman from China&#39;s Han ethnic majority, who works for Yushu&#39;s official sports bureau. &quot;It&#39;s my third year, we organise a lot of activities.&quot; 
 
There are still sporadic outbursts against Chinese rule in Yushu, with five locals setting themselves on fire since 2012, according to rights groups, among more than 140 such protests by Tibetans, most of them fatal. 
 
Dozens of paramilitary policemen guarded the festival, while a group of orange-suited firefighters patrolled with foam extinguishers. 
 
&quot;In recent years the government has been controlling Tibetans more tightly. For example, we are limited in gathering together for activities,&quot; said one young Tibetan sipping beer on the festival sidelines, asking not to be named. 
 
&quot;This is a government event,&quot; he added. &quot;They are organising it so it&#39;s considered safe.&quot; 
 
 
Khampa men and flowing hair&nbsp; 
 
Local authorities tout the festival as a source of tourist revenue for the area, which has few other sources of growth. 
 
Many Han Chinese see Kham as a mysterious and romantic region. 
 
&ldquo;Its pretty and the horse riding skills are great,&rdquo; said Han Chinese tour guide Zhao Xu. 
 
&ldquo;Khampa men are known for their good looks and flowing hair,&rdquo; he added. 
 
But attendance at the event last week was sparse, raising questions over how well modernisation fits with tradition. 
 
Qinghai&#39;s urbanisation rate has increased from 40 per cent to nearly 50 percent in the past decade, but one Tibetan member of a local Communist party committee told AFP that the process was happening &quot;too fast&quot;. 
 
&quot;Its fine to move people to cities, but where are the jobs?&rdquo; asked the man, whose first name was Dorje. &ldquo;Herding life was certainly better.&rdquo; 
 
But spectator Meiduo Lasang -- stallholder Sonam&#39;s daughter -- dreams of becoming a photographer or fashion designer. 
 
A university student in the provincial capital, she sheepishly accepted a herder&#39;s invitation to clamber on top of his steed, laughing and posing for smartphone photos before quickly jumping off. 
 
&ldquo;We don&#39;t own horses these days,&quot; she said. &quot;Everyone used to, when transport was more backwards. Now we have vehicles there is no need for horses.&rdquo; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

Yushu's annual equine festival is billed as a showcase of Chinese government support for Tibetan culture

As Tibetan riders waved rifles and dug cowboy-booted feet into their horses' flanks, hanging sideways from their mounts, tourists and locals cheered and snapped pictures on digital cameras and smartphones. Set between emerald hills on the Himalayan plateau, some 3,700 metres above sea level, Yushu's annual equine festival is billed as a showcase of Chinese government support for Tibetan culture. Women were draped in their finest jewellery, wearing beads of turquoise, yellow amber and red coral over flower-patterned traditional dresses known as chuba. Monks in crimson robes flitted through the crowds. But beyond the imagery, the festival also displayed the impact of both modernisation and Beijing's rule on the region, which Chinese forces occupied in 1951. Beneath grassy hills spiderwebbed with white prayer flags, Sonam Dolma set up a tent stall selling bottled mineral water, Coca-Cola and Red Bull. Now 51, she recalled helping tame wild horses as a teenager on the plateau where her nomad family raised yaks, and was unimpressed by this year's athletics. "When I was young there would be a horse festival each year," she said. "The skill was very high. The horses were big and strong." Now, she added, the animals were smaller and slower. "A lot of the best horses have been sold because people turn to technology." Many Tibetans have traded nomadism for life in the cities as part of an urbanisation drive pushed by Beijing, sometimes by force, and many who remain on the land prefer motorbikes for road transport. "I'm just not that good at riding any more," 31-year-old nomad Jargaringqin told AFP, chewing on yak jerky as dried dung burned in his stove. Many Tibetans have traded nomadism for life in the cities as part of an urbanisation drive pushed by Beijing. Resistance to Chinese rule Yushu -- known as Jyekundo in Tibetan and now in the northwestern Chinese province of Qinghai -- is home to the Khampa, a traditionally martial people whose dialect is impenetrable to most Tibetans. In the late 1950s the Khampa -- sometimes aided by CIA training and weapons -- staged the fiercest Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule, killing 800 Communist soldiers in one raid. Their forces were crushed after the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959. Herders had their guns confiscated, but the weapons made a comeback in tourist displays at the five-day event, which saw male riders competing in speed races and trotting competitions. The festival was suspended for several years following a major earthquake which ravaged Yushu in 2008, killing some 2,700 people. As part of reconstruction, authorities built a horse-racing stadium with concrete stands and plastic seating to host the festival's opening ceremony. Local Communist officials control the event, determining who races, sponsoring travel costs for riders and archers from rural counties, and handing out cash prizes to winners. "I am deciding who competes," explained a woman from China's Han ethnic majority, who works for Yushu's official sports bureau. "It's my third year, we organise a lot of activities." There are still sporadic outbursts against Chinese rule in Yushu, with five locals setting themselves on fire since 2012, according to rights groups, among more than 140 such protests by Tibetans, most of them fatal. Dozens of paramilitary policemen guarded the festival, while a group of orange-suited firefighters patrolled with foam extinguishers. "In recent years the government has been controlling Tibetans more tightly. For example, we are limited in gathering together for activities," said one young Tibetan sipping beer on the festival sidelines, asking not to be named. "This is a government event," he added. "They are organising it so it's considered safe." Khampa men and flowing hair Local authorities tout the festival as a source of tourist revenue for the area, which has few other sources of growth. Many Han Chinese see Kham as a mysterious and romantic region. “Its pretty and the horse riding skills are great,” said Han Chinese tour guide Zhao Xu. “Khampa men are known for their good looks and flowing hair,” he added. But attendance at the event last week was sparse, raising questions over how well modernisation fits with tradition. Qinghai's urbanisation rate has increased from 40 per cent to nearly 50 percent in the past decade, but one Tibetan member of a local Communist party committee told AFP that the process was happening "too fast". "Its fine to move people to cities, but where are the jobs?” asked the man, whose first name was Dorje. “Herding life was certainly better.” But spectator Meiduo Lasang -- stallholder Sonam's daughter -- dreams of becoming a photographer or fashion designer. A university student in the provincial capital, she sheepishly accepted a herder's invitation to clamber on top of his steed, laughing and posing for smartphone photos before quickly jumping off. “We don't own horses these days," she said. "Everyone used to, when transport was more backwards. Now we have vehicles there is no need for horses.” (AFP)

Sneak peak into Tibetan horse festival where tradition faces modernity

Nine persons have been killed along with hundreds of yaks and sheep after an avalanche hit southwest Tibet, officials said today. 
 
The residents were of Dungru Village in Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Himalayan region&#39;s capital Lhasa. 
 
According to the prefectural government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, more than 350 sheep and 110 yaks were also buried in yesterday&#39;s avalanche that shifted snow up to eight meters deep on to grazing land. 
 
Cracks have since appeared on the surrounding glaciers, and rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials. 
 
The officials confirmed the deaths without giving additional details. 
 
Rutog County is in the northwest of Tibet, with an average elevation of 4,500 meters (about 14,800 feet). 
 
Rising global temperatures are blamed for speeding the melting of glaciers in Tibet. 
 
China is also grappling with floods and landslides. 
 
At least 83 people have been killed and 19 others are still missing after typhoon Nepartak struck east China&#39;s Fujian Province last week, taking the death toll in recent rains and floods in the country to 309.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI) &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials

Nine persons have been killed along with hundreds of yaks and sheep after an avalanche hit southwest Tibet, officials said today. The residents were of Dungru Village in Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, more than 1,000 kilometers from the Himalayan region's capital Lhasa. According to the prefectural government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, more than 350 sheep and 110 yaks were also buried in yesterday's avalanche that shifted snow up to eight meters deep on to grazing land. Cracks have since appeared on the surrounding glaciers, and rescuers are concerned that more avalanches may occur, according to local officials. The officials confirmed the deaths without giving additional details. Rutog County is in the northwest of Tibet, with an average elevation of 4,500 meters (about 14,800 feet). Rising global temperatures are blamed for speeding the melting of glaciers in Tibet. China is also grappling with floods and landslides. At least 83 people have been killed and 19 others are still missing after typhoon Nepartak struck east China's Fujian Province last week, taking the death toll in recent rains and floods in the country to 309. (PTI)

Avalanche kills 9 in Tibet, rescue operations underway

A Himalayan Shangri-La that was closed to visitors until 1992, the former Buddhist kingdom of Upper Mustang in Nepal is facing unprecedented change as a new highway brings modernity to the roof of the world. 
 
Kerosene lamps have given way to solar panels, denim sneakers have replaced hand-stitched cowhide boots and satellite dishes are taking over the rooftops of homes dotted across the region, which borders Tibet. 
 
The former kingdom&#39;s days as a cultural time capsule are numbered - and change cannot come soon enough for young people like Tsewang Norbu Gurung, who lives in its walled capital, Lo Manthang. 
 
&quot;I remember when Nepali TV first came here, less than 10 years ago. We used to pay Rs20 (18 cents) for a three-hour sitting in someone&#39;s house,&quot; said Gurung. 
 
Today, nearly everyone owns their own television - imported from China or India - and young men like 30-year-old Gurung spend their evenings watching Bollywood films, Tibetan mythological dramas or soccer matches. 
 
Sitting with friends at a local teashop, their eyes glued to a television screen showing a Euro 2016 match, Gurung said the road had transformed life in Lo Manthang. 
 
&quot;Earlier, everything - rice, oil, basic supplies - had to be carried up on mules, it would take so many days, now it takes just one day in a vehicle,&quot; he said. 
 
Gurung, who runs a souvenir shop, worked as a labourer on the road that was completed in 2014, connecting Upper Mustang with India and China - a modest throwback to an era when the region dominated trans-Himalayan commerce in salt, wool and spices. 
 
For generations, traders led caravans through this forbidding high-altitude desert, passing vast canyons and red mountains that, legends say, are stained with the blood of a demon killed by the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. 
 
Nepal annexed the kingdom of Lo, as it was known then, in the 18th century but allowed the king to retain his title. It renamed the area Upper Mustang. 
 
For decades it saw virtually no foreign visitors and was accessible only by foot or horseback, leaving its residents cut off from outside influence until the road was completed a few years ago.&nbsp; 
 
The local Loba community, who speak a variant of Tibetan, retained their Buddhist practices even as the cultural revolution hit religious traditions in neighbouring Tibet.&nbsp; 
 
Upper Mustang&#39;s isolation was so absolute that its royal family only boarded a plane for the first time in 1995, on visits to the US and Germany. 
 
Former crown prince Jigme Singi Palbar Bista grew up in a cavernous five-storey palace with 108 rooms, but the family did not live in luxury. 
 
With no electricity and with firewood scarce, palace staff would burn yak dung to heat the rooms. 
 
There were no high schools in Upper Mustang, so the prince would spend days trekking or riding to Jomsom on the region`s outskirts. 
 
&quot;We are not like other royals... not that kind of luxury,&quot; the 60-year-old told AFP. 
 
Nepal&#39;s transition from a monarchy to a republic in 2008 ruled out any chance of Bista inheriting the throne, making his father the last king of a 600-year-old dynasty. 
 
The father-of-three now devotes his time to running a tour agency and doing charity work while overseeing repairs to the palace after last year`s earthquake. 
 
But the Lobas still regard Bista as a spiritual guardian and approach him for help resolving land disputes that would otherwise have to be filed in court. 
 
Nepal&#39;s government has sought to preserve Upper Mustang`s unique culture by keeping tourist numbers down, charging a minimum visitors&#39; fee of $500. 
 
But many fear the road threatens the region`s unique identity as younger Lobas embrace modernity, swapping handspun Tibetan robes for made-in-China jeans.&nbsp; 
 
Lo Manthang`s gates are no longer locked at night to keep horses from running out. Instead, motorbikes crowd its cobblestone streets. 
 
&quot;It`s important to save our culture so it reflects our identity. Otherwise there will be nothing special left about (Upper) Mustang,&quot; said Khenpo Kunga Tenzin, head of Lo Manthang`s Monchoe Dragkar Thegchen Ling monastery. 
 
&quot;We had our own identity, our own way of dressing... but now it`s all disappearing, it will all be gone.&quot; 
 
Poised between an isolated past and an uncertain future, young Lobas like shopkeeper Gurung are more positive. 
 
&quot;When I realize that my generation doesn`t know local songs or dances, I feel a bit ashamed,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;But overall I am optimistic about the future. Things are getting better... life is getting easier&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

Kerosene lamps have given way to solar panels and denim sneakers have replaced hand-stitched cowhide boots

A Himalayan Shangri-La that was closed to visitors until 1992, the former Buddhist kingdom of Upper Mustang in Nepal is facing unprecedented change as a new highway brings modernity to the roof of the world. Kerosene lamps have given way to solar panels, denim sneakers have replaced hand-stitched cowhide boots and satellite dishes are taking over the rooftops of homes dotted across the region, which borders Tibet. The former kingdom's days as a cultural time capsule are numbered - and change cannot come soon enough for young people like Tsewang Norbu Gurung, who lives in its walled capital, Lo Manthang. "I remember when Nepali TV first came here, less than 10 years ago. We used to pay Rs20 (18 cents) for a three-hour sitting in someone's house," said Gurung. Today, nearly everyone owns their own television - imported from China or India - and young men like 30-year-old Gurung spend their evenings watching Bollywood films, Tibetan mythological dramas or soccer matches. Sitting with friends at a local teashop, their eyes glued to a television screen showing a Euro 2016 match, Gurung said the road had transformed life in Lo Manthang. "Earlier, everything - rice, oil, basic supplies - had to be carried up on mules, it would take so many days, now it takes just one day in a vehicle," he said. Gurung, who runs a souvenir shop, worked as a labourer on the road that was completed in 2014, connecting Upper Mustang with India and China - a modest throwback to an era when the region dominated trans-Himalayan commerce in salt, wool and spices. For generations, traders led caravans through this forbidding high-altitude desert, passing vast canyons and red mountains that, legends say, are stained with the blood of a demon killed by the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. Nepal annexed the kingdom of Lo, as it was known then, in the 18th century but allowed the king to retain his title. It renamed the area Upper Mustang. For decades it saw virtually no foreign visitors and was accessible only by foot or horseback, leaving its residents cut off from outside influence until the road was completed a few years ago. The local Loba community, who speak a variant of Tibetan, retained their Buddhist practices even as the cultural revolution hit religious traditions in neighbouring Tibet. Upper Mustang's isolation was so absolute that its royal family only boarded a plane for the first time in 1995, on visits to the US and Germany. Former crown prince Jigme Singi Palbar Bista grew up in a cavernous five-storey palace with 108 rooms, but the family did not live in luxury. With no electricity and with firewood scarce, palace staff would burn yak dung to heat the rooms. There were no high schools in Upper Mustang, so the prince would spend days trekking or riding to Jomsom on the region`s outskirts. "We are not like other royals... not that kind of luxury," the 60-year-old told AFP. Nepal's transition from a monarchy to a republic in 2008 ruled out any chance of Bista inheriting the throne, making his father the last king of a 600-year-old dynasty. The father-of-three now devotes his time to running a tour agency and doing charity work while overseeing repairs to the palace after last year`s earthquake. But the Lobas still regard Bista as a spiritual guardian and approach him for help resolving land disputes that would otherwise have to be filed in court. Nepal's government has sought to preserve Upper Mustang`s unique culture by keeping tourist numbers down, charging a minimum visitors' fee of $500. But many fear the road threatens the region`s unique identity as younger Lobas embrace modernity, swapping handspun Tibetan robes for made-in-China jeans. Lo Manthang`s gates are no longer locked at night to keep horses from running out. Instead, motorbikes crowd its cobblestone streets. "It`s important to save our culture so it reflects our identity. Otherwise there will be nothing special left about (Upper) Mustang," said Khenpo Kunga Tenzin, head of Lo Manthang`s Monchoe Dragkar Thegchen Ling monastery. "We had our own identity, our own way of dressing... but now it`s all disappearing, it will all be gone." Poised between an isolated past and an uncertain future, young Lobas like shopkeeper Gurung are more positive. "When I realize that my generation doesn`t know local songs or dances, I feel a bit ashamed," he said. "But overall I am optimistic about the future. Things are getting better... life is getting easier". (AFP)

Himalayan Shangri-La moves towards modernity via new highway

Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, based in India&#39;s northern town of Dharamsala, on Saturday rejected China&#39;s claims that it was making efforts to develop the restive Tibet. 
 
His comments come days after Beijing invited foreign delegates and news media to a state-sponsored tour in Tibet for a development forum. 
 
&quot;Not much positive change. You know, I mean, generally we (have) been saying internationally. Chinese foreign policies have been both nationalistic and assertive. Domestically all over China, they have been more aggressive and situation in Tibet has not been changed,&quot; Sangay said after chairing a meeting of the Tibetan Task Force. 
 
Exiled Tibetans and rights groups say China, which took control of Tibet in 1950, has tried to stamp out religious freedom and culture in the Himalayan region. China rejects the criticism, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development. 
 
The Chinese government has pumped billions of dollars into the region in the past few years, aiming to develop infrastructure and social policies such as healthcare, housing and education. 
 
China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since 1950, when Communist troops marched in and took control in what Beijing calls a &quot;peaceful liberation&quot;. 
 
Dharamsala, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, is home to thousands of exiled Tibetans who fled to India in 1959, and is the headquarters of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). 
 
(Reuters)

Exiled Tibetans and rights groups say China has tried to stamp out religious freedom and culture in the Himalayan region

Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile Lobsang Sangay, based in India's northern town of Dharamsala, on Saturday rejected China's claims that it was making efforts to develop the restive Tibet. His comments come days after Beijing invited foreign delegates and news media to a state-sponsored tour in Tibet for a development forum. "Not much positive change. You know, I mean, generally we (have) been saying internationally. Chinese foreign policies have been both nationalistic and assertive. Domestically all over China, they have been more aggressive and situation in Tibet has not been changed," Sangay said after chairing a meeting of the Tibetan Task Force. Exiled Tibetans and rights groups say China, which took control of Tibet in 1950, has tried to stamp out religious freedom and culture in the Himalayan region. China rejects the criticism, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development. The Chinese government has pumped billions of dollars into the region in the past few years, aiming to develop infrastructure and social policies such as healthcare, housing and education. China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist since 1950, when Communist troops marched in and took control in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Dharamsala, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, is home to thousands of exiled Tibetans who fled to India in 1959, and is the headquarters of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). (Reuters)

Prime Minister of Tibetan government-in-exile refutes China's claims of development

&nbsp;An award-winning Tibetan film director has been detained and suffered serious injury while in police custody, a Chinese film directors&#39; guild said on Wednesday, sparking widespread condemnation in the Chinese film industry.

Pema Tseden, a renowned Tibetan filmmaker best known for the films &quot;Tharlo&quot; and &quot;Old Dog&quot;, was detained at an airport in Western China on Saturday, the Film Directors&#39; Guild of China said in a statement posted to its official microblog account. It was not immediately clear why.

He was badly hurt in the course of his detention, the statement added, and was then taken to hospital in the Western Chinese city of Xining on Monday. Police in Xining did not respond to repeated calls for comment and Pema Tseden could not be reached.

Pema Tseden is China&#39;s first director to make films entirely in the Tibetan language. His work has won many prizes at home and are not critical of Beijing&#39;s rule over Tibet.

Rights groups say China, which took control of Tibet in 1950, has tried to stamp out religious freedom and culture in the Himalayan region. China rejects the criticism, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development.

People with knowledge of the case told Reuters they believed police had not recognised the director and detained him after a dispute over luggage at the airport.

&quot;(We) call on the relevant authorities to quickly respond to the association&#39;s concern, and make public the whole story of this incident, including the reason for police taking forceful measures,&quot; the guild said in a statement.

Abuses by Chinese police departments, which are largely unregulated, are common in China, but this case generated unusual fervour on social media networks because of the director&#39;s fame. Tibetans on Chinese social media networks called for calm.

In May, there was a major public outcry after an environmentalist who had graduated from a prestigious Beijing university died in police custody. 
 
(Reuters)

Pema Tseden, China's first director to make films entirely in Tibetan language, was detained at an airport in western China

An award-winning Tibetan film director has been detained and suffered serious injury while in police custody, a Chinese film directors' guild said on Wednesday, sparking widespread condemnation in the Chinese film industry. Pema Tseden, a renowned Tibetan filmmaker best known for the films "Tharlo" and "Old Dog", was detained at an airport in Western China on Saturday, the Film Directors' Guild of China said in a statement posted to its official microblog account. It was not immediately clear why. He was badly hurt in the course of his detention, the statement added, and was then taken to hospital in the Western Chinese city of Xining on Monday. Police in Xining did not respond to repeated calls for comment and Pema Tseden could not be reached. Pema Tseden is China's first director to make films entirely in the Tibetan language. His work has won many prizes at home and are not critical of Beijing's rule over Tibet. Rights groups say China, which took control of Tibet in 1950, has tried to stamp out religious freedom and culture in the Himalayan region. China rejects the criticism, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development. People with knowledge of the case told Reuters they believed police had not recognised the director and detained him after a dispute over luggage at the airport. "(We) call on the relevant authorities to quickly respond to the association's concern, and make public the whole story of this incident, including the reason for police taking forceful measures," the guild said in a statement. Abuses by Chinese police departments, which are largely unregulated, are common in China, but this case generated unusual fervour on social media networks because of the director's fame. Tibetans on Chinese social media networks called for calm. In May, there was a major public outcry after an environmentalist who had graduated from a prestigious Beijing university died in police custody. (Reuters)

Tibetan director detained and thrashed in China, says film guild

The United States should not interfere in China&#39;s internal affairs on matters related to Tibet, China&#39;s foreign minister Wang Yi told US secretary of state John Kerry in a phone call on Saturday. 
 
According to an account of the call posted on the Chinese foreign ministry website, Kerry reaffirmed that there was no change in the US policy that Tibet is a part of China and that the US does not support Tibetan independence. 
 
The phone call follows on from President Barack Obama&#39;s meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, last week at the White House despite China warning it would damage diplomatic relations. 
 
China views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist. The meeting came at a time of already heightened tensions between the US and China over Beijing&#39;s pursuit of territorial claims in East Asia. 
 
On the call, Wang and Kerry also discussed the success of the recently concluded bilateral Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) in Beijing, according to the foreign ministry posting, which did not give specifics.

Obama's meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, last week at the White House prompted the phone call

The United States should not interfere in China's internal affairs on matters related to Tibet, China's foreign minister Wang Yi told US secretary of state John Kerry in a phone call on Saturday. According to an account of the call posted on the Chinese foreign ministry website, Kerry reaffirmed that there was no change in the US policy that Tibet is a part of China and that the US does not support Tibetan independence. The phone call follows on from President Barack Obama's meeting with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, last week at the White House despite China warning it would damage diplomatic relations. China views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist. The meeting came at a time of already heightened tensions between the US and China over Beijing's pursuit of territorial claims in East Asia. On the call, Wang and Kerry also discussed the success of the recently concluded bilateral Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) in Beijing, according to the foreign ministry posting, which did not give specifics.

China foreign minister calls John Kerry, asks US not to interfere with Tibet

US President Barack Obama met the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, at the White House on Wednesday, despite a warning from China that it would damage diplomatic relations. 
 
The meeting came at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and China over Beijing&rsquo;s assertive pursuit of territorial claims in East Asia.&nbsp; 
 
Obama&#39;s fourth White House meeting with the Dalai Lama in the past eight years took place in the White House residence, instead of the Oval Office where the president normally meets world leaders. 
 
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the choice of the residence emphasized the &quot;personal nature of their meeting&quot;. 
 
He said Obama thanked the Dalai Lama for his condolences for the victims of Sunday&#39;s mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. 
 
Earnest added that Obama had in the past spoken of his &quot;warm personal feelings&quot; for the Dalai Lama, appreciation of his teachings and belief &quot;in preserving Tibet&#39;s unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions&quot;. 
 
At the same time, Earnest said the US position of considering Tibet part of China had not changed. 
 
In an interview with Fox News later on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said he and Obama talked about the current situation in Tibet. 
 
He denied he was seeking independence and that it was in Tibet&#39;s interests to remain part of China, &quot;provided we should have full right for preservation of our own culture, or rich Buddhist knowledge, knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, these things&quot;. 
 
The Dalai Lama also noted in the interview that Chinese President Xi Jinping had said Buddhism was an important part of Chinese culture. 
 
&quot;So this is something new, for a leader of a Communist party, you see, mentioning some positive things about leader of Buddhism, wonderful.&quot; 
 
&#39;The Tibet card&#39; 
 
China&#39;s foreign ministry said earlier it had lodged diplomatic representations with the United States over the planned meeting, saying it would damage Chinese-US ties. 
 
China considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist, and ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the meeting would encourage &quot;separatist forces&quot;. He urged Washington to abide by its promises to recognise that Tibet is part of China and cease any support for Tibet independence. 
 
A commentary on China&#39;s official news agency, Xinhua, accused Washington of breaking its promise not to support Tibet&#39;s independence by going ahead with the meeting. It said that had &quot;seriously jeopardized China-US relations, and deeply hurt the Chinese people&#39;s feelings&quot;. 
 
&quot;Supporting Tibet&#39;s independence is a clear interference in China&#39;s internal affairs and is in gross violation of the norms of international relations. Playing the &#39;Tibet card&#39; shows the US government is overdrawing its political credit and international prestige.&quot; 
 
When Obama last met the Dalai Lama at the White House in 2014, he angered China by vowing &quot;strong support&quot; for Tibetans&#39; human rights. 
 
The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet into exile in India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said in the Fox News interview that China would eventually have to become more open. 
 
&quot;So ... Chinese people, including leaders, I think are getting some new experiences, so things will change,&quot; he said, adding there was no future in maintaining such tight social control. 
 
&#39;Trust, frienship essential&#39; 
 
The Dalai Lama said in an interview that the disputes between China and its neighbours in the South China Sea should be resolved through dialogue. 
 
He said China faced no threat from other Asian countries and as a big and ancient nation should pursue reconciliation and friendship. &ldquo;Long term, it&rsquo;s in China&rsquo;s own interests,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Trust and friendship with neighbouring countries is essential; including the United States also.&rdquo; 
 
On Wednesday, a Chinese observation ship shadowed the US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis in the Western Pacific, the carrier&#39;s commander said, as it joined warships from Japan and India for drills close to waters Beijing considers its backyard. 
 
Japan and the United States worry that China is extending its influence into the Western Pacific with submarines and surface vessels as it pushes territorial claims in the neighbouring South China Sea, expanding and building on islands. 
 
China has been angered by what it views as provocative US military patrols close to the islands. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. 
 
On Tuesday, Beijing also warned Washington to stick to its &ldquo;one-China&rdquo; policy over Taiwan ahead of an overseas trip by Taipei&rsquo;s new president, Tsai Ing-wen, who will transit though Miami from June 24 to 25 and Los Angeles from June 30 to July 1 on her way to and from Panama and Paraguay. 
 
A US State Department spokeswoman, Anna Richey-Allen, said the visit would be &ldquo;private and unofficial&rdquo; and the transits handled in accordance with the &ldquo;unofficial nature of the (US) relationship with Taiwan&rdquo;. 
 
&ldquo;There is no change to the US &lsquo;One-China&rsquo; policy,&rdquo; she said, adding that Tsai would be greeted as a courtesy in Miami and Los Angeles by officials of the American Institute in Taiwan, a de facto embassy that handles US relations with Taiwan. 
(Reuters)

Comes as Japan and the US worry that Beijing is pushing territorial claims in the neighbouring South China Sea

US President Barack Obama met the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, at the White House on Wednesday, despite a warning from China that it would damage diplomatic relations. The meeting came at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and China over Beijing’s assertive pursuit of territorial claims in East Asia. Obama's fourth White House meeting with the Dalai Lama in the past eight years took place in the White House residence, instead of the Oval Office where the president normally meets world leaders. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the choice of the residence emphasized the "personal nature of their meeting". He said Obama thanked the Dalai Lama for his condolences for the victims of Sunday's mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Earnest added that Obama had in the past spoken of his "warm personal feelings" for the Dalai Lama, appreciation of his teachings and belief "in preserving Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions". At the same time, Earnest said the US position of considering Tibet part of China had not changed. In an interview with Fox News later on Wednesday, the Dalai Lama said he and Obama talked about the current situation in Tibet. He denied he was seeking independence and that it was in Tibet's interests to remain part of China, "provided we should have full right for preservation of our own culture, or rich Buddhist knowledge, knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, these things". The Dalai Lama also noted in the interview that Chinese President Xi Jinping had said Buddhism was an important part of Chinese culture. "So this is something new, for a leader of a Communist party, you see, mentioning some positive things about leader of Buddhism, wonderful." 'The Tibet card' China's foreign ministry said earlier it had lodged diplomatic representations with the United States over the planned meeting, saying it would damage Chinese-US ties. China considers the Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist, and ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the meeting would encourage "separatist forces". He urged Washington to abide by its promises to recognise that Tibet is part of China and cease any support for Tibet independence. A commentary on China's official news agency, Xinhua, accused Washington of breaking its promise not to support Tibet's independence by going ahead with the meeting. It said that had "seriously jeopardized China-US relations, and deeply hurt the Chinese people's feelings". "Supporting Tibet's independence is a clear interference in China's internal affairs and is in gross violation of the norms of international relations. Playing the 'Tibet card' shows the US government is overdrawing its political credit and international prestige." When Obama last met the Dalai Lama at the White House in 2014, he angered China by vowing "strong support" for Tibetans' human rights. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet into exile in India in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule, said in the Fox News interview that China would eventually have to become more open. "So ... Chinese people, including leaders, I think are getting some new experiences, so things will change," he said, adding there was no future in maintaining such tight social control. 'Trust, frienship essential' The Dalai Lama said in an interview that the disputes between China and its neighbours in the South China Sea should be resolved through dialogue. He said China faced no threat from other Asian countries and as a big and ancient nation should pursue reconciliation and friendship. “Long term, it’s in China’s own interests,” he said. “Trust and friendship with neighbouring countries is essential; including the United States also.” On Wednesday, a Chinese observation ship shadowed the US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis in the Western Pacific, the carrier's commander said, as it joined warships from Japan and India for drills close to waters Beijing considers its backyard. Japan and the United States worry that China is extending its influence into the Western Pacific with submarines and surface vessels as it pushes territorial claims in the neighbouring South China Sea, expanding and building on islands. China has been angered by what it views as provocative US military patrols close to the islands. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. On Tuesday, Beijing also warned Washington to stick to its “one-China” policy over Taiwan ahead of an overseas trip by Taipei’s new president, Tsai Ing-wen, who will transit though Miami from June 24 to 25 and Los Angeles from June 30 to July 1 on her way to and from Panama and Paraguay. A US State Department spokeswoman, Anna Richey-Allen, said the visit would be “private and unofficial” and the transits handled in accordance with the “unofficial nature of the (US) relationship with Taiwan”. “There is no change to the US ‘One-China’ policy,” she said, adding that Tsai would be greeted as a courtesy in Miami and Los Angeles by officials of the American Institute in Taiwan, a de facto embassy that handles US relations with Taiwan. (Reuters)

Obama meets 'dangerous separatist' Dalai Lama despite warning from China

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. 
 
Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. 
 
Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. 
 
In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. 
 
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the &quot;one China&quot; policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. 
 
Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan&#39;s independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. 
 
&quot;We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China,&quot; he said. 
 
Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed &quot;strong support&quot; for Tibetans&#39; human rights. 
 
The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. 
 
He told Reuters Obama was a &quot;a long-time friend&quot; whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. 
 
Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: &quot;I don&#39;t know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded.&quot; 
 
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island&#39;s few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan&#39;s deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. 
 
China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. 
 
Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai&#39;s trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. 
(Reuters)

China warned the US to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activity in accordance with its 'one China' policy

US President Barack Obama will meet the Dalai Lama at the White House today, a move certain to anger China which considers the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader a dangerous separatist. Obama and the Dalai Lama will meet privately at 14:15 GMT, a White House statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, China warned the United States to stick by its promises not to support any separatist activities. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the Dalai Lama had said it was possible he would meet Obama, and on Tuesday Taiwan announced that its new president would make a transit stop in the United States next week. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both issues touched on the "one China" policy, a basic diplomatic tenet referring to both Taiwan and Tibet being part of China that Beijing insists foreign governments recognise. Lu said the United States had said it opposed Taiwan's independence and recognised that Tibet was an inseparable part of China. "We demand the US government earnestly stands by its promises, conscientiously handle the relevant issue in accordance with the one China principle and not give any space to any individual or behaviour which tries to create two Chinas, one China one Taiwan, or to split China," he said. Obama met the Dalai Lama when the latter visited Washington in 2014 and angered China then when he vowed "strong support" for Tibetans' human rights. The Dalai Lama says he wants genuine autonomy for Tibet rather than independence. He told Reuters Obama was a "a long-time friend" whom he admired for his work to normalise relations with Cuba, on Iran and for his recent visits to former US foe Vietnam and the site of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in Japan. Asked how Beijing (Peking) might respond to a meeting, the Dalai Lama said: "I don't know - you should ask them. I think in Peking, we cannot as of now.. generalise. In Peking there are different views. Some people there have a more realistic view. Some are more hardline, which is more narrow-minded." Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will transit in Miami on her way to Panama, one of the island's few diplomatic allies, and stop over in Los Angeles on her return, Taiwan's deputy foreign minister, Javier Ching-shan Hou, said. China is suspicious of Tsai, who assumed office last month, as she is also head of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Travel abroad is sensitive for Taiwanese leaders who have angered China as it is seen as exerting sovereignty. Tsai's trip will run from June 24 to July 2 and include Paraguay. (Reuters)

Obama to meet the Dalai Lama at White House today

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