In a significant move that has implications for US-China relations , former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has addressed the Tibetan parliament in exile in Dharmshala, Himachal Pradesh. Pelosi’s visit, part of a high-level US delegation, is a clear demonstration of the US’ support for Tibet and its stance on China’s occupation of the region. Her visit also includes a meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
Accompanying Pelosi in this visit are other prominent members of the US delegation, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Ranking Member Ami Bera, House Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Nicole Malliotakis. This collective visit by the US delegation to meet the Dalai Lama is a strong statement of support for Tibet and a potential challenge to China’s stance on the issue.
This meeting of Pelosi with Tibetan spiritual Guru Dalai Lama is a major instigation by the US towards China. Importantly, earlier this month, China’s Washington embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said that Beijing opposes any anti-China separatist activities conducted by Dalai in any capacity or name in any country, and opposes any forms of contact by officials of any country with him.
This visit of US delegation comes in the backdrop of the House of Representatives in the US approving, Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, which passed the Senate recently.
The bill was introduced in the Senate by Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley. This act aims to allocate funds to counter disinformation from Beijing regarding Tibet’s history, people, and institutions.
“The people of Tibet deserve to be in charge of their own future, and, today, Congress has voted to stand with Tibetans in their struggle for freedom and self-determination,” said Merkley, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
Having said this earlier, Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022 despite that Irked China. Notably, Nancy Pelosi assumed office in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1987. She served as speaker of the House from 2007 to 2011 and was elected again in 2019 when the Democrats regained control of the House following the 2018 midterm elections, serving until 2023. In Congress, Pelosi was the first woman to lead a major political party, to serve as Democratic whip and as speaker of the House, the highest elective office in the United States to be held by a woman before the election of Kamala Harris as vice president.
Before serving in Congress, Pelosi was chair of the California State Democratic Party from 1981-1983. From 1985-1986, she served as the finance chairman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
