Buddhism Has More Followers In China Than The Communist Party Therefore The Drive To Sinicise It

NEW DELHI: Lobsang Sangay is no stranger to India or to the Tibetan cause he represents. In this exclusive chat with StratNews Global’s Surya Gangadharan, he answered questions on a range of topics including the ongoing election for a new Sikyong or president of the Central Tibetan Administration, who will succeed him. The second and final round of this process is expected to end on Apr. 8 when one of two candidates will emerge as the winner.

Sangay intends to remain active in the cause of Tibet given that China has not relented from its tough position. He says conditions in his homeland remain dire, there is a crackdown on all forms of dissent along with the continued effort to repress Tibetan culture and “Sinicise” it. He says the Chinese Communist Party feels threatened by the spread of Buddhism among the majority Han population, and therefore its needs to control the narrative on Tibet including interfering in the succession of the new Dalai Lama after the current one passes from the scene.

The US declaration that China has no role in the succession has angered Beijing. But Sangay takes comfort in the fact that opposition to China’s treatment of Tibet and Tibetans is finding wider support across the world.