50th Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising. The United States respects the territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China and considers Tibet to be part of China. At the same time, we are deeply concerned by the human rights situation in Tibetan areas.

We described those concerns in our just-released Annual Country Report on human rights practices in China. We concluded that China's Government has acted against global human rights standards by significantly increasing cultural and religious repression in Tibetan areas.

We urge China to reconsider its policies in Tibet that have created tensions due to their harmful impact on Tibetan religion, culture, and livelihoods. We believe that substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives, consistent with the Dalai Lama's commitment to disclaiming any intention to seek sovereignty or independence for Tibet, can lead to progress in bringing about solutions and can help achieve true and lasting stability in Tibet.
Source: U.S. Department of State