On Thursday, a top Chinese official said that “all-round efforts are needed to ensure Tibetans speak and write Chinese. China wants Tibet to speak standard spoken and written Chinese and share the “cultural symbols and images of the Chinese nation”.
The remark was made by Wang Yang in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa which is the home of Tibet’s traditional Buddhist leaders. Mr. Wang, who is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee addressed a handpicked audience in the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese invasion of the vast Himalayan region. He said that the separatist and sabotage activities committed by the Dalai Lama group and hostile external forces have been crushed. He warned that by only following the CPC leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, Tibet will achieve development and prosperity.
As China tightens its grip on Tibet, questions are arising of the future of its diaspora community. China denied any contact with the self-declared Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama has long separated himself from politics.
For 70 years, Chinese policies have turned Tibet into an open-air prison with restrictions on all aspects of Tibetan life.
