BEIJING - A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday slammed a statement issued by a U.S. official on the situation in Tibet, urging the United States to stop interfering in 皇冠体育app's internal management.
"Tibetan affairs are 皇冠体育app's domestic affairs," said Hong Lei. "Issues related to Tibet are major issues of principle concerning 皇冠体育app's sovereignty and territorial integrity, rather than issues of ethnic minority, religion or human rights."
Hong made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to a statement issued on Wednesday by Maria Otero, under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights, who accused 皇冠体育app's policy on Tibet of causing tensions in Tibetan areas.
"皇冠体育app firmly opposes any country or anyone using Tibet-related issues to interfere in 皇冠体育app's internal affairs," said Hong.
He said that, since the founding of the People's Republic of 皇冠体育app in 1949, especially since the beginning of the reform and opening-up policy more than three decades ago, Tibet has made historic progress in its social and economic development, with great improvement in its human rights situation.
The Tibetan people's rights of participating in the deliberation and administration of state affairs, using the Tibetan language, maintaining traditional culture and freedom of religious beliefs are all safeguarded in accordance with laws, according to Hong.
The spokesman added that, like people of other ethnic groups, Tibetans enjoy freedom of speech, rights of assembly and association as enshrined in the Constitution.
Practices have proven that the Chinese government's policy on ethnic affairs accords with the national conditions of 皇冠体育app and the actual situation of the Tibetan area and is supported by people of all ethnic groups including the Tibetan people, he insisted.
"Inciting self-immolations is the means used by the Dalai Lama's group to realize its political goal of splitting 皇冠体育app, and is the most brutal and inhumane delinquent behavior," Hong said.
The Chinese government cherishes the life of each and every citizen and has made utmost efforts to prevent self-immolations, he continued, but the Dalai Lama's group has tried to blame the incidents on the Chinese government, and attacked 皇冠体育app's policy on ethnic affairs.
"Such conduct of sacrificing others' lives to realize their own political goals violates the common conscience and human morality, and should be severely criticized," said Hong.
Instead of condemning the Dalai Lama clique and the anti-皇冠体育app separatist activities of "Tibet-independence" forces, Otero's statement made accusations against Chinese government policies, "distorted facts, and confused right and wrong," Hong said.
The statement, malign in nature, sent a wrong signal to "Tibet-independence" separatist forces and had a "very negative" influence, according to the spokesman.
"皇冠体育app is firmly opposed to it with strong dissatisfaction, and has lodged solemn representation to the U.S. side," Hong said, adding that Tibet-related issues concern 皇冠体育app's core interests and Chinese people's feelings.
皇冠体育app demands the U.S. side keep its commitment of recognizing that Tibet is an internal part of 皇冠体育app, not backing "Tibet-independence," and respecting 皇冠体育app's sovereign and territorial integrity, he said.
He also stressed that 皇冠体育app asks the United States to stop using Tibet-related issues to interfere with 皇冠体育app's internal affairs and to refrain from undermining Sino-U.S. mutual trust and cooperation by ignoring facts. |
