Washington, D.C. — US President Joe Biden signed the "Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act" into law on July 12, 2024. The law urges Chinese governement to resume the diolague with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, democratically elected leaders of the Tibetan community, without preconditions. It also states, "claims made by officials of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party that Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times are historically inaccurate."
The bill, S.138, entitled the "Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act", also known as the Resolve Tibet Act is the Senate version of the bipartisan House bill HR. 533, which the House of Representatives passed by a wide margin on February 15, 2024. The bill was then sent to the Senate, where it was amended by one paragraph as S.138 and passed unanimously in the Senate on May 23, 2024. The Senate-amended bill was returned to the House of Representatives for consideration, and the House passed the bill unanimously on June 12, 2024, with 391 votes in favour and 26 against. And President Joe Biden signed the "Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act" into law on July 12, 2024
In his official statement, President Joe Biden wrote, "Today I have signed into law S. 318, the “Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act” (the “Act”). I share the Congress’s bipartisan commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans and supporting efforts to preserve their distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. My administration will continue to call on the People’s Republic of China to resume direct dialogue, without preconditions, with the Dalai Lama, or his representatives, to seek a settlement that resolves differences and leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet."
The main sponsors of the bill, S.138 in the house were Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Sen. Merkley, Jeff (D-OR), Sen. Young, Todd (R-IN) from Senate. The co-sponsors in house include Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) , Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-At Large), Rep. Troy Carter, (D-LA), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8), Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-IA), Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), Rep. John Larson, (D-CT), Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY), Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Rep. Thomas Kean (R-NJ), Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10), Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-7), Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO), Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY).
The co-sponsors in Senate include Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE), Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Sen. Jim Risch, (R-ID), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA).
Rep. Jim McGovern, said: "My bill, the Resolve Tibet Act, is now the law of the land after President of the United States signed it today. I am thrilled. The United States once again affirms our strong support for the rights of the Tibetan people under international law, including their right to self-determination.
"With its bipartisan passage, we hope to restart dialogue between Tibet and China to resolve the decades-long dispute over Tibet’s autonomy and governance in keeping with U.S. policy. The Tibetans are willing; the People’s Republic of China should come to the table," he added.
Representative Michael McCaul said, "The United States has never accepted that Tibet was part of China since ancient times as the CCP falsely claims. This legislation clarifies US policy and highlights the unique language, religion, and culture of the Tibetan people. It directs US diplomacy to push back against CCP propaganda. In addition, it ensures Tibetans have a say in their own future. This bill stresses the need for dialogue between the CCP and other democratically elected leaders of Tibet."
Sen. Jeff Merkley, said: "The people of Tibet have an inalienable right to self-determination. As the Chinese government continues to ignore the rights of Tibet under international law, my bill sends a powerful, bipartisan message: we must protect basic human rights. Now that this bill has been signed into law, the United States has made it unmistakably clear that we stand with Tibet. I look forward to the Biden Administration’s prompt implementation."
Rep. Young Kim said: "This bill ensures that Tibetans have a say in their own future. It stresses the need for a direct dialogue between the CCP and the democratically elected leaders of Tibet, and that any resolution must be peaceful and include the voice of the Tibetan people. Tibetans are democracy-loving people who wish to freely practice their religion and have their distinct identity acknowledged and respected."
The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act is "the policy of the United States —
(1) that "the Tibetan people are a people with a distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and historical identity;
(2) that the dispute between Tibet and the People’s Republic of China must be resolved in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Charter, by peaceful means, through dialogue without preconditions;
(3) that the People’s Republic of China should cease its propagation of disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people, and Tibetan institutions, including that of the Dalai Lama;
(4) to encourage the People’s Republic of China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and uphold all its commitments under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and
(5) in accordance with the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020—
(A) to promote substantive dialogue without pre-conditions, between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Dalai Lama, his or her representatives, or democratically elected leaders of the Tibetan community, or explore activities to improve prospects for dialogue, that leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet;
(B) to coordinate with other governments in multilateral efforts towards the goal of a negotiated agreement on Tibet; and
(C) to encourage the Government of the People’s Republic of China to address the aspirations of the Tibetan people with regard to their distinct historical, cultural, religious, and linguistic identity.
"It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) claims made by officials of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party that Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times are historically inaccurate;
(2) the current policies of the People’s Republic of China are systematically suppressing the ability of the Tibetan people to preserve their religion, culture, language, history, way of life, and environment;
(3) the Government of the People’s Republic of China is failing to meet the expectations of the United States to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives or to reach a negotiated resolution that includes the aspirations of the Tibetan people; and
(4) United States public diplomacy efforts should counter disinformation about Tibet from the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, including disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people, and Tibetan institutions, including that of the Dalai Lama.
"Work with relevant bureaus of the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development to ensure that United States Government statements and documents counter, as appropriate, disinformation about Tibet from the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, including disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people, and Tibetan institutions, including that of the Dalai Lama;’’.
‘‘For purposes of this Act, the term ‘Tibet’ refers to the following areas:
(1) The Tibet Autonomous Region.
(2) The areas that the Government of the People’s Republic of China designated as Tibetan Autonomous, as of 2018, as follows:
(A) Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Pari (Tianzhu) Tibetan Autonomous County located in Gansu Province.
(B) Golog (Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsojang (Haibei) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tsonub (Haixi) Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and Yulshul (Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, located in Qinghai Province.
(C) Garze (Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Ngawa (Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, and Muli (Mili) Tibetan Autonomous County, located in Sichuan Province.
(D) Dechen (Diqing) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, located in Yunnan Province."
Tibetans and Tibet supporters expressed great joy at the signing of the Resolve Tibet Act by US President Biden and thanked him and the Act's main sponsors and co-sponsors for their support for Tibetans, Tibet and the resolution of the Sino-Tibetan issue. The Chinese government, for its part, expressed its anger at the signing of the law, as it usually does at everything the United States does with Tibet.
