Exiled Tibetans have therefore turned their attention to CCP’s leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping. As the number of self-immolations rise, maintaining stability in the restive Tibetan areas will be a key test for China’s next leader, and Tibetan activists have already challenged him to take “immediate steps towards a just and lasting resolution to the occupation of Tibet, or face greater international condemnation and domestic instability.”
For his own part, the Dalai Lama suggested he is optimistic when he recalled Xi Jinping’s father during an interview with Reuters, describing the elder Xi as, “very friendly, comparatively more open-minded, very nice.” Additionally, Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, is a Buddhist herself and hosted the first World Buddhist Forum in China. The Dalai Lama went on to say he was "encouraged” by recent meetings he had with Chinese delegates who claimed they were close to senior Chinese officials.
At the same time, many analysts have cautioned that it is far too early to suppose the incoming leadership will take any bold initiatives on Tibet.
Elliot Sperling, an expert on the history of Tibet and Tibetan-Chinese relations at Indiana University told The Diplomat, “In the short term the Chinese leadership is unlikely to loosen its harsh policies in Tibet. Especially when there’s a leadership change occurring, it is incumbent on the incoming leaders to show strength with regard to what are called China’s core interests, one of which is Tibet.”
Still, many in the exile Tibetan community remain hopeful that Beijing could make changes under the new leadership. “These acts of self-immolations directly challenge the leaders in Beijing, telling them that they would rather die than live under such intolerable circumstance when the very survival of Tibetans is under threat. The Chinese policies are worse than the pain inflicted by self-immolation, it is time China take responsibility for this and urgently come forward to stop the situation from getting worse,” says Lobsang Wangyal, an exiled Tibetan entrepreneur living in India.
Saransh Sehgal writes about Tibet and geopolitics in the Himalayan region. He is currently based in Dharamsala, India and Vienna, Austria.
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neutral thinker
Most people who think Tibet needs a change had never been to there. Neither do they read some history. People who think Dalai Lama is good, had never been to one of his speeches.
Did you know what those monks did to Tibetan people before CCP era?
Did you know that standard of life in Tibet has been improved tremendously in the last half century?
Did you ever talk to real Tibetans in Tibet but not the ones overseas who wish to get a asylum visa?
Do you really want a state that controlled by religious monks? Isn't that a dictatorship?
C'mom people, you are just being naiive!!
Yankee Doodle
Exactly. The Amerikan cowboys should had given America to Big Chief Sitting Bull and the United States of North American Indians instead of massacring them. White Europeans were illegal immigrants to another peoples' land. And that's not even castigating Amerikans for forcibly rounding up free Africans to become slaves for the whites in the "New World". Such hypocrisy they should be trying to instigate rebellions and uprising now in other countries. Go, free your people first, Kate and Co..
Jean-Paul
Tibet is the perfect example of the neo-imperialist agenda of the disgusting CCP regime. It is actually a great service this monks are doing for the world. By performing self-immolation and getting attention on the world stage they are exposing the corruption and totalitarianism of the rogue CCP regime. The tibetans suffering will not go unheard and they are already doing their part to try and expose the atrocities the CCP has/is committing to this very day. It will serve as a light to all those nations who might be fooled into thinking china's rise is "peaceful".
Immolation Forever
Maybe all you trolls should also immolate yourself? You would be making a great statement against "tyranny". C'mon, you chicken or something? Or maybe just armchair critics paid by Washington only?
ImperiumVita
I don't see how anyone can call China's actions in Tibet a "failed policy." This is a calculated Imperial policy from an authoritarian ethnically defined nationalist government, and it has been very successful.
Vulgor
@ImperiumVita
quite a cynical comment, but in a sense you're absolutely right. However, if China seeks "long term" stability though, an imperial policy may not be the way to achieve that.
Yameez
Nice article on tibet, saransh sehgal. challenge for xi jinping comes at a right time.
Tseten Zöchbauer
Very sad to not see in this article what the self immolates request is .. That they shout while burning: "Freedom for Tibet" " Return of HH the Dalai Lama" "Free Tibet" " We want Freedom and Unity!" … Beside what ever changes inside Tibet is not guaranteeing anything for betterment for Tibet and Tibetans inside Tibet mainly not for Freedom to Tibetans. Also it is unimaginable why, Xi should do anything to change … His success was made by that very system and his father might be a moderated one but he is not. he got since years trained and prepared for this position … His brain is red as it can be… Every time Chinese leadership changed, Tibetan Government was full of hope. But nothing changed. Tibetans inside Tibet know Chinese the best and they are not hoping for changes coming from Xi Jinping but asking fro Freedom from China. This should give to all of us to think. If there would be a little hope, the Tibetans inside Tibet would know. China failed there policy in Tibet and the same did the Middle Way approach of the Tibetan government, because there was never any serious support from UN or and powerful governments.. Now the Tibetans inside Tibet took the problem in their hands … Lonely, left to face a sick communist country made strong by western greed … By heartless democrats … That are the informations I miss in this report. I miss deeper researches to write such a long article and new informations as well meaningful statements. Tibet is in such a difficult situation that good and helpful imformations by Media are urgently needed