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The Hill
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
China's threat to Tibet's future should be a global concern
Three decades ago, China abducted the Panchen Lama — then a six-year-old boy — shortly after his recognition by the Dalai Lama, and installed a regime-picked imposter in his place. That abduction, one of the most audacious acts of spiritual and cultural repression in modern history, still haunts the Tibetan people. Yet Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with the false Panchen Lama this month has served only to remind the world of the genuine Panchen Lama's continued disappearance. That makes the Panchen Lama — the second-highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism — arguably the longest-held political prisoner anywhere. Now, Xi is preparing to repeat that sinister act on a much grander scale. He is waiting for the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 on July 6, to pass away so that Beijing can impose its own puppet as the next spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism. This would be akin to the Italian government installing a state-appointed pope to lead the Catholic Church, a brazen affront to religious freedom and cultural sovereignty. China's ambitions go far beyond symbolism. With Xi's regime intensifying efforts to erase Tibetan culture, language and identity, the looming succession of the Dalai Lama marks a pivotal and dangerous turning point. Although the Dalai Lama has yet to clarify the exact process for selecting his successor, Beijing is zealously laying the groundwork to seize control of Tibetan Buddhism from within. The paradox is stark: The atheistic Chinese Communist Party is preparing to hand-pick the next Dalai Lama, even while escalating its crackdown on Tibetan religion and culture. Xi has called on Communist Party cadres to become 'unyielding Marxist atheists,' effectively elevating communism to the level of a state religion. The goal is clear: to fashion a successor who pledges loyalty not to Tibetan Buddhism, but to the Chinese Communist Party. But Tibet's plight is not just spiritual or cultural — it is also ecological and geopolitical. The Tibetan Plateau, often dubbed the 'Third Pole,' is Asia's primary freshwater source and a cradle of biodiversity. It is the starting point of the continent's major river systems, which sustain over 2 billion people downstream. China's aggressive exploitation of Tibet's natural resources, particularly water and minerals, has created long-term environmental risks for all of Asia. Beijing is building mega-dams and water diversion projects that threaten to destabilize ecosystems and disrupt hydrological flows far beyond its borders. Tibet's high altitude also plays a critical role in shaping monsoonal patterns and global atmospheric circulation. A 2023 scientific study even found an atmospheric connection between the Tibetan Plateau and the Amazon rainforest — proof that the world's environmental fate is tied to Tibet's future. Despite its annexation in 1951, Tibet maintains a vibrant spirit of resistance. The Dalai Lama, viewed by Tibetans as the living embodiment of compassion and wisdom, remains their moral and spiritual leader. His renunciation of political power in 2011 in favor of a democratically elected government-in-exile only reinforced his legacy as a global symbol of nonviolent resistance. That legacy remains untainted by any link to terrorism, even as China continues to militarize and repress Tibet. Under Xi, repression has intensified, with mass surveillance, religious restrictions and the forced assimilation of Tibetan children into Mandarin-language boarding schools — more than a million children are now separated from their families and culture. The unmistakable goal is to breed loyalty to the Communist Party by obliterating the Tibetan identity. Meanwhile, the Dalai Lama's health has declined. Following radiation therapy for prostate cancer in 2016 and knee replacement surgery in the U.S. last year, his international travel has drastically reduced. Adding to the challenge is Beijing's success in pressuring many countries — including Western democracies and Buddhist-majority states in Asia — to deny him entry. Only Japan has held firm. India, to its credit, remains the Tibetan leader's sanctuary and moral ally, with New Delhi referring to him as 'our most esteemed guest.' The Dalai Lama himself calls India his spiritual and cultural home. Against this backdrop, China's strategy to engineer the next Dalai Lama must be met with firm resistance. The stakes could not be higher — the continuity of Tibetan Buddhism as a living spiritual tradition hangs in the balance. To counter Beijing's plan, a coordinated international response is urgently needed to affirm the right of Tibetan Buddhists to determine their own spiritual leadership without interference. Fortunately, the U.S. has taken some meaningful steps. Its 2020 Tibetan Policy and Support Act affirms that the selection of the next Dalai Lama is solely a Tibetan religious matter. It explicitly warns of sanctions against Chinese officials who meddle in the process. In July 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the bipartisan Resolve Tibet Act, which strengthens American policy in support of Tibetan self-determination and seeks to counter Chinese disinformation campaigns on Tibet. But more must be done. The U.S. and India should forge a united front and rally other democracies to support the Dalai Lama's vision and the Tibetan people's rights. The Dalai Lama's succession should be protected through a multilateral framework that involves Buddhist leaders, legal protections and diplomatic safeguards. China's effort to manipulate the centuries-old institution of the Dalai Lama is not merely a religious affront. It is a geopolitical gambit designed to consolidate control and extend influence across Asia. If Tibet's voice is silenced and its future dictated by authoritarian fiat, the global costs — in spiritual, ecological and political terms — will be immense. Tibet's imperiled future is not just a Tibetan problem. It is a challenge to the international order, to religious freedom and to the environmental security of an entire continent. And the time to act is now. Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and the author of nine books, including the award-winning 'Water: Asia's New Battleground.'
India Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Calls for Zohran Mamdani's deportation; Trump's border czar says 'game on'
Republicans and affiliated groups are seeking a federal investigation into the citizenship status of Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary for the New York City's mayoral post, with some calling for his denaturalisation and deportation. Mamdani, son of Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, found himself at the centre of a political firestorm following his primary win ahead of the November New York City's mayoral amid calls for probe and deportation US President Donald Trump's border czar, Tom Homan issued a warning to Zohran Mamdani saying that immigration enforcement will "double down and triple down on sanctuary cities". Homan added that if immigration enforcement officials can't arrest people in jail, they would "find them" in neighborhoods or work sites, adding, "so game on, we're coming".Mamdani, who has been an assembly member since 2021, became an American citizen in 2018 shortly after graduating from college. He has also faced Islamophobic attacks due to his political views and stance on US foreign policy. Tennessee Republican Congressman, Andy Ogles, has urged the federal government to revoke the US citizenship of New York City mayoral candidate Mamdani and initiate deportation proceedings against shared images of a letter he wrote to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, urging the Department of Justice to examine whether Mamdani's US citizenship should be revoked on the basis that he may have obtained it through "wilful misrepresentation or concealment of material support for terrorism".advertisementIn response to the Democratic primary poll outcome, the New York Young Republican Club, a Manhattan-based GOP group for members aged 18 to 40, issued a "call to action" on X. The group was founded in 1911."The radical Zohran Mamdani cannot be allowed to destroy our beloved city of New York," the club wrote in the post, tagging the White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Donald Trump's Border Czar Tom comes days after the American President called Mamdani a "100% Communist Lunatic".The group urged President Donald Trump to invoke the Red Scare-era Communist Control Act to revoke Mamdani's citizenship and "promptly deport him".The Communist Control Act of 1954 is a Cold War-era law passed at the height of anti-communist hysteria. The law, which technically remains on the books, declared the Communist Party illegal and allowed for the stripping of rights of individuals deemed part of a communist club also called on White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Trump Border Czar Tom Homan to take action against the 33-year-old Ugandan-American Democratic Mamdani's victory, Miller claimed New York City is the "clearest warning yet of what happens to a society when it fails to control migration," The Independent entire Democrat party is lining up behind the diehard socialist who wants to end all immigration enforcement and abolish the prison system entirely," he WILL BE ANOTHER 9/11 IN NYC: FAR-RIGHT COMMENTATORFar-right commentator and political operative Laura Loomer, in a post on X, said that New York City would face "another 9/11" if Zohran Mamdani were to become York City Council Member Vickie Paladino described Mamdani as a "known jihadist terrorist" and "communist" in a radio interview, calling for his deportation despite his American citizenship, according to a report in The York Representative Elise Stefanik, Trump's one-time pick for UN ambassador, sent fundraising emails branding Mamdani a "Hamas terrorist sympathiser" before the race was even backlash intensified in conservative circles, with the American President's son, Donald Trump Jr reposting a message on social post read, "I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it", adding his own comment: "New York City has fallen".'NYC NOT AN AMERICAN CITY ANYMORE'Marjorie Taylor Greene, US Representative for Georgia's 14th congressional district since 2021, also joined in by sharing an AI-generated image of the Statue of Liberty covered in a burqa. The image depicts a digitally modified version of the Statue of Liberty, veiled in a black commentator Matt Walsh decried New York's immigrant population, lamenting how New York isn't "an American city any more" because of its population being 40% backlash was sparked by Mamdani's promises, his views on Israel, and support for the Palestinian whose father is Ugandan academic Mahmood Mamdani, is married to Rama Duwaji, a Syrian-American Tuesday's heated Democratic primary election event, New York City Mayor Eric Adams slammed the 33-year-old, calling him a "snake oil salesman" following Mamdani's victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was seeking a political POLITICAL JOURNEY SO FARSince 2021, Mamdani has been representing Astoria, Queens, in the New York State victory in the mayoral primary indicates that his ideas are becoming more popular in the campaign has plans, like establishing city-run grocery stores, freezing rent increases in rent-stabilised housing, and providing free city buses. These ideas would be funded by a $10 billion tax increase on businesses and wealthy residents, Mamdani has been vocal about international issues, especially regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. His firm pro-Palestinian position has drawn sharp criticism from pro-Israel supporters view him as a bold and much-needed progressive voice for New York was born in Kampala, Uganda, to parents with roots in India. He moved to New York along with his family at the age of seven in 1998 and became an American citizen in 2018 shortly after graduating from mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning filmmaker who has made cult films such as Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Mississippi Masala. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.- EndsMust Watch
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Top Chinese military official removed amid corruption probe
BEIJING: A top Chinese military official has been formally removed from his post, state media said on Friday, after he was suspended and placed under investigation for corruption in November. Admiral Miao Hua was accused of "serious violations of discipline", a common euphemism for corruption. That made him the latest senior figure to fall in a sweeping crackdown on graft in the armed forces under Chinese President Xi Jinping. Miao has now been officially removed from his post as a member of the powerful Central Military Commission under the ruling Communist Party, state news agency Xinhua said. The Xinhua report did not provide any further information about the investigation into Miao's alleged corruption. A foreign ministry spokesperson declined to comment when asked for details during a regular news conference. Beijing has intensified a crackdown on corruption in the military in recent years, resulting in the removal of several key officials. Xi has made rooting out alleged graft from all levels of government a top priority since coming to power just over a decade ago. He has called graft "the biggest threat" to the Communist Party and said "the fight against corruption remains grave and complex." Proponents say the policy promotes clean governance but others say it also serves as a tool for Xi to purge political rivals.--AFP
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
China ousts top general from elite military body as purge grows
Chinese President Xi Jinping has unseated more than a dozen senior military figures. PHOTO: EPA-EFE BEIJING – China has removed a top general from the nation's apex military body led by President Xi Jinping, as the defence establishment is facing a wave of purges. Admiral Miao Hua, who oversees political loyalty in the armed forces, has been ousted from the national Central Military Commission, according to a statement from the National People's Congress Standing Committee. The six-man Central Military Commission is the armed force's premier decision-making body, and one of the most powerful institutions in China. Under Mr Xi, there are two vice-chairmen serving as military leaders and three other members that included Adm Miao, who is seen as a close ally of the country's top leader. Mr Xi's government has unseated more than a dozen senior military figures since launching a corruption investigation last summer into hardware purchases going back to 2017. That probe resulted in the removal of China's last two defence ministers from the Communist Party, as well as the ouster of several officials with ties to the secretive Rocket Force that oversees the nation's nuclear arsenal. Adm Miao was suspended from the CMC in 2024 as he was under investigation for 'serious violations of discipline'. For the ruling Communist Party, that language typically refers to a graft probe. In April, Adm Miao was expelled from Parliament without explanation. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Asahi Shimbun
a day ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: A tale of two boys symbolizes the struggle for Tibet's spirit
The 14th Dalai Lama delivers a sermon in Bodh Gaya, a holy site of Buddhism in northern India, in 2022. (Takashi Ishihara) His name is Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. Born in 1989 in a poor farming village in Tibet, his life was irrevocably altered at the age of 6. That year, the 14th Dalai Lama—spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism—recognized him as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in the Gelug school, subordinate only to the Dalai Lama himself. Just three days later, the young boy vanished from his village along with his parents. The Tibetan government-in-exile claims he was abducted by Chinese authorities. Chadrel Rinpoche, the abbot of a prominent Tibetan monastery who had played a central role in the search for the reincarnated Panchen Lama, was also detained and later imprisoned. Chinese authorities selected another boy, Gyaincain Norbu, asserting that he was the true 11th Panchen Lama. Over time, this 'officially recognized' figure matured and began appearing at state functions. Earlier this month, he was even received by President Xi Jinping. In photographs and accompanying media coverage, he is seen bowing deeply to Xi and pledging loyalty to the Communist Party. It is a deeply sorrowful and haunting story. To imagine being in the place of either boy is enough to stir anguish. Human freedom is treated with disturbing ease and entire lives are manipulated like pieces on a board. The sheer injustice—and absurdity—of it all is overwhelming. Next month, the 14th Dalai Lama will turn 90. An announcement regarding the selection of his successor—the 15th Dalai Lama—is reportedly imminent. The Chinese government is almost certain to respond with fierce opposition. Will the world soon be confronted with the spiritually and politically charged dilemma of 'two Dalai Lamas,' just as it has been with the Panchen Lama? Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, meanwhile, turns 36 this year. According to Chinese authorities, he graduated from an unnamed university, holds an unspecified job and is 'living a normal life' somewhere. Yet no one has ever seen him. —The Asahi Shimbun, June 27 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
