Senior officials from the U.S. State Department and the White House held a significant meeting with the Dalai Lama in New York on Wednesday, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans. The meeting, which involved the 89-year-old exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is expected to provoke a strong reaction from China, which views the Dalai Lama as a dangerous separatist and opposes any official interactions with him.
The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet for India in 1959 following a failed uprising against Chinese rule, had traveled to New York in June for medical treatment on his knees. This visit marked his first trip to the United States since 2017. The State Department disclosed that Uzra Zeya, the U.S. undersecretary of state for human rights and special coordinator for Tibetan issues, attended the meeting along with Kelly Razzouk, the White House director for human rights.
According to the State Department, Zeya conveyed President Biden’s best wishes for the Dalai Lama’s health and emphasized the U.S. commitment to advancing Tibetan human rights and supporting efforts to preserve their historical, linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. Zeya also discussed ongoing U.S. efforts to address human rights abuses in Tibet and supported the resumption of dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama.
Earlier this year, a group of U.S. lawmakers met the Dalai Lama in India before his U.S. visit. They pledged not to allow China to influence the selection of his successor. This meeting comes amidst heightened tensions between the U.S. and China. Last month, China strongly opposed a U.S. law signed by President Joe Biden, which pressures Beijing to address demands for greater Tibetan autonomy, and vowed to “firmly defend” its interests.
Although the Dalai Lama has met with U.S. officials, including presidents, in previous visits, President Biden has not yet met him since taking office in 2021. In 2020, Biden criticized then-President Donald Trump for being the only president in three decades who had not engaged with the Tibetan leader, labeling it as “disgraceful.”
The timing of Wednesday’s meeting is notable as President Biden seeks to stabilize the strained relations with China ahead of the upcoming presidential election on November 5. The election will see Vice President Kamala Harris facing off against former President Donald Trump. China’s embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the meeting.
