Document no. 39
Preamble
As coordinated by the Sikyong and concerned U.S. Congressional members on April 28, 2022, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the 117th U.S. Congress held a hearing on June 23, 2022, titled “Tibet: Barriers to Settling an Unresolved Conflict”, inviting four Tibetan historians and relevant individuals.
In July, Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) jointly sponsored a bill in the House of Representatives. In December, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Todd Young (R-IN), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) cosponsored a companion bill in the Senate, but it was not passed.
In January 2023, following the election and the commencement of the 118th US Congress, the aforementioned committees reintroduced the bill in the respective chambers of congress.
In March, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) held a hearing to examine the increasing restrictions on language and cultural rights in Tibet and the transnational repression faced by Tibetans abroad. Sikyong and Richard Gere, Chair of the International Campaign for Tibet’s Board of directors, participated and urged for the swift passage of the bill.
On November 29, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved the bill. On February 14, 2024, the bill passed in the House of Representatives with a high majority.
On April 16, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously approved the bill.
On May 23, the Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent through a special expedited process. The Senate made two amendments to the bill, which the House subsequently reconciled.
On June 12, the House passed the amended bill with a high majority through a suspension motion.
On July 12, 2024, the US President signed the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act into law. This Act states that the Chinese government’s claim that Tibet has been part of China is historically inaccurate, that the Tibet-China conflict remains unresolved, and that Tibet’s legal status should be resolved based on international law, including the United Nations Charter. It affirms that Tibetans from all three provinces have the right to self-determination and calls for meaningful Tibet-China dialogue, without preconditions.
The Central Tibetan Administration and Tibetans inside Tibet and in exile deem it important to express gratitude for these policy positions.
Resolution
This Act promoting a resolution to the Tibet-China conflict has elevated support for the Tibetan cause to a new level and opened new avenues for us to appeal to free democratic countries worldwide. Therefore, we unanimously resolve to sincerely thank the bipartisan group of sponsors and supporters who initially introduced this bill in both chambers of Congress, the members of Congress who passed it, and President Joe Biden who signed it into law. We also extend our gratitude to all those who collaborated during the legislative process. And so be it adopted accordingly with the unanimous approval of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on September 19, 2024.
This resolution was unanimously adopted during the 8th session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on September 19, 2024.
