Centre for China Analysis and Strategy

CHINA-INDIA: TIBET/DALAI LAMA

China's Observer network on september 9, 2014, described this as an "unlucky year" for the Dalai Lama. It observed that his visit to Mongolia was canceled; he was denied visa to visit South Africa; and the invitation to visit Russia was also canceled by the Russian Foreign Minister. Recently, the Indian Government also proposed the postponement of religious activities which was to be carried out by the Dalai Lama's Office, because of Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming first visit to India.

It cited foreign media reports as saying that the Dalai Lama was scheduled to hold a religious gathering in the Indian capital New Delhi in the third week of September. The Dalai Lama had already invited a number of religious leaders to participate in the religious gathering, which aimed to study methods to deal with some social problems such as violence, poverty, environmental pollution, feminism and sexual assault.

This put the Modi government in a dilemma, because Modi will at that time be busy with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India. Taking into account the Chinese government's sensitivity on Dalai Lama, the Modi government secretly proposed to postpone the religious gathering organised by the Dalai Lama's office. According to sources, the Dalai Lama was originally scheduled hold the religious meeting in Delhi on September 18 to 19, but the Indian government has recommended that it be carried out on the 20th and 21st of this month.

New Delhi has repeatedly nodded in agreement to the Tibetan government in exile to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel peace prize.

Modi invited the Dalai Lama's political successor and the leaders of the Tibetan government in exile to attend his inauguration ceremony, which has greatly dissatisfied Beijing.

On November 2011, Beijing delayed the State Councilor Dai Bingguo's visit to India because of the Dalai Lama's Global Buddhist Conference which was held in New Delhi. At that time the Indian government refused the request from the Chinese government to stop the Dalai Lama from attending the Global Buddhist Conference, and therefore Dai Bingguo delayed his visit for nearly six weeks.

Beijing accuses the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama of activities aimed at splitting China, while New Delhi recognises the Dalai Lama as its distinguished guest and allows him to move freely throughout the territory of India and to participate in any religious gatherings.

It is learned that the central government of China and the Dalai Lama's representatives have been carried out approximately nine meetings, but so far there has been no substantive result . It is reported that Xi Jinping during his visit to India will discuss issues of the Tibetan government in exile with India, including the adherence of Indian leaders to commitments such as, adhere to one-China policy, and to prohibit Tibetans in India from carrying out anti-China political activities, and additionally to request India to close the door for the Tibetan government in exile in India . Analysts suggests the Modi government is unlikely to succumb to Beijing's pressure.