'I am not seeking independence from China', the Dalai Lama reached Jammu and attacked Chinese fundamentalists

The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, who is on a visit to Jammu, said that he is not seeking independence from China but autonomy for Tibet within it. The Dalai Lama, who recently celebrated his 87th birthday, said some Chinese consider him a separatist. The Dalai Lama said, “Some Chinese fundamentalists consider me a separatist and reactionary, therefore always criticizing me. But now more and more Chinese have realized that the Dalai Lama is not seeking independence, but meaningful within China itself. We want autonomy and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture."

The Tibetan spiritual leader went on to say that more and more Chinese are showing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. "Some Chinese scholars have realized that Tibetan Buddhism is full of wisdom and tradition and a very scientific religion," he said. In 2018, the Dalai Lama said in a video message to the Washington DC-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) that he had not been seeking independence from China since 1974. He also said that China and Tibet can be of mutual benefit if there is a reconciliation.

The Dalai Lama said that in the late 1950s and '60s, Chinese fundamentalists almost believed that the Tibetan issue could be resolved using Chinese military forces. The Dalai Lama is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Ladakh. The Tibetan spiritual leader is likely to stay in Jammu tonight and reach the Union Territory of Ladakh on Friday. This is his first visit outside Dharamsala in the last two years. The Dalai Lama's visit comes ahead of the sixteenth commander-level talks to resolve border disputes between India and China, scheduled for July 17.

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