The Tibet Policy and Support Act is a federal law that establishes US policy toward Tibet. The Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 declares that the succession of the Dalai Lama is a completely religious matter that only he and his supporters can decide. If Chinese officials seek to nominate a future Dalai Lama, they risk having their assets frozen and their admission into the United States prohibited. This article deals with the various aspects of the above-mentioned act from an exam point of view. Aspirants should go over this article for UPSC Exams.

What is Tibetan Policy and Support Act?

• The Tibet Policy and Support Act is a federal law that was passed in the US Senate which signifies US Policy towards Tibet government in Exile.
• It is an amended version of the Tibet Policy Act of 2002.
• The act recognizes the Tibetan Central Administration as a legal entity. The Tibetan diaspora's worldwide goals are reflected in the institution.
• Tibetans were apprehensive that after the incumbent Dalai Lama died, the Chinese government may try to install someone loyal to it as the 15th Dalai Lama.
• He might be used by the PRC as a stooge to put an end to the international effort against its occupation of Tibet.
• Since his 1959 escape from Tibet, which had been captured by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1950-51, the current and 14th Dalai Lama have lived in exile in India.
• He has been at the forefront of the campaign for Tibet's and Tibetans' "true autonomy."

Key Features

• Based on the Tibet Policy Act of 2002, the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 was enacted.
• The Tibetan people are addressed in every facet of the act. Fundamental rights, environmental rights, human rights, religious freedom, and Tibetan democracy in exile are all included.
• The act applauds His Holiness the Dalai Lama's efforts to establish a democratic government. The act also applauds the Tibetan exile community for effectively implementing a self-governance structure.
• The act recognizes the Tibetan Central Administration as a legal entity. The Tibetan diaspora's worldwide goals are reflected in the institution.
• The act also includes provisions to protect the Tibetan plateau's ecosystem and water resources. It acknowledges the relevance of traditional Tibetan grassland in minimizing the region's harmful consequences of climate change.
• The Chinese government, on the other hand, is advocating for the forceful relocation of nomads from the grasslands.
• The measure calls for the building of a US Consulate in Lhasa, Tibet's capital.

Tibet

Historical Background

• Since his 1959 escape from Tibet, which had been captured by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1950-51, the incumbent and 14th Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India.
• He has been at the forefront of the campaign for Tibet's and Tibetans' "true autonomy." However, there is much debate about the movement's future beyond his lifetime.
• Tibet was India's actual neighbour for millennia, as most of India's borders and the 3500 km LAC are shared with the Tibetan Autonomous Region rather than the rest of China.
• Tibetan representatives, together with Chinese representatives, signed the Simla convention with British India in 1914, delineating boundaries. However, with China's full admission of Tibet in 1950, the treaty and the McMahon line that separated the two countries were rejected.
• In addition, in 1954, India and China agreed to acknowledge Tibet as the "Tibet area of China."

India’s take on Tibet

• Former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru provided the Dalai Lama with shelter and assisted in the establishment of the Tibetan government in exile.
• The Dalai Lama is regarded as a spiritual leader by the Indian government, and the Tibetan population in India, which numbers over lakh exiles, is prohibited from engaging in political activities.
• There has been a shift in India's Tibet policy as tensions between India and China have risen. This policy adjustment highlights the Indian government's active engagement with the Dalai Lama in public forums.
  • In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Lobsang Sangay, the head of the Tibetan government in exile in India, to his swearing-in ceremony.
  • However, after being re-elected for a second five-year term in2019, he did not invite him to guarantee a smooth transition for a second informal summit between him and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tibetan Diaspora

• Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru committed to helping Tibetan refugees reside in India until they are able to return home.
• The Tibetan diaspora maintains a government in exile in Himachal Pradesh, which oversees political activities for Tibetans in India.
• The Tibetan government-in-exile is based in McLeod Ganj, a Dharamsala suburb.
• Lugsung Samdupling, the first Tibetan refugee community, was granted about 3,000 acres of land by the government of Mysore (Karnataka) in 1960.
• Many additional settlements sprang up in Karnataka a few years later, making it the state with the largest Tibetan refugee community. Tibetan refugees have also been given land in other Indian states.

Challenges Involved in India's Tibet Policy

• Tibetan Demographic Changes: China has been encouraging people from mainland China to go to Tibet for decades.
  • China is tightening its grip on Tibetans' ties to the Dalai Lama while pouring money and building projects into the region.
• Tibetans vs. Tibetans: As tensions between India and China rise following the Galwan Valley fight, China has begun to develop Tibetan Militia organisations.
  • Furthermore, the Tibetan Special Frontier Force is trained by the Indian Army, which could lead to Tibetans battling each other in the future.
• Tibetan Citizenship: After the cut-off year of 1987, the Indian government refuses to grant citizenship to Tibetans born in India. The Tibetan youth have become dissatisfied as a result of this.
  • Furthermore, the United States has extended its participation in recent years by taking more Tibetan refugees. This will have an influence on India's role as the lone entity debating the fate of Tibetan refugees.
• The Dalai Lama's Succession: The 86-year-old Dalai Lama is not only the community's spiritual head but also its political leader.
  • According to the Dalai Lama, his successor could be a live incarnation in a certain area of India or even in another country like Taiwan.

Significance of TPSA

• The TPSA recognised the validity of both the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which were both elected by the exiled Tibetan community.
• It aims to include crucial provisions targeted at maintaining the Tibetan Plateau's ecosystem and water supplies.
• The PRC government has forcibly relocated nomads from grasslands in an aggressive campaign.
• Traditional Tibetan grassland stewardship is critical in minimising the harmful consequences of climate change in the region, according to the TPSA.
• It also urges for increased international cooperation in monitoring the Tibetan plateau's ecosystem.

Conclusion

According to the report, TPSA violated international law and basic rules governing international relations, meddled in China's domestic affairs, and sent the wrong message to pro-Tibet forces. China said it "resolutely rejects" the "adoption of Bills carrying such harmful contents on China" following Bill's passing via the Senate. Tibet, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are China's internal affairs, and external meddling is not permitted.