Dharamshala — California Senator Dianne Feinstein blasted a statement made by the Global Times threatening the University of California San Diego and Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, calling it 'unconscionable' and demanding its immediate retraction.
The Global Times is a Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece and propaganda outlet. An editorial published on June 20, 2017, criticized UC San Diego for inviting the Dalai Lama to give its commencement address on June 17. It threatened the University Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, saying: “Khosla must bear the consequences for this.“ Global Times suggested that China should “not issue visas to the chancellor and not recognize diplomas or degree certificates issued by the university in China.”
In a statement, Senator Feinstein said, “I find it unconscionable that a reporter for the Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, would threaten UC San Diego and its chancellor and students for inviting the Dalai Lama to speak.”
She added, “The newspaper should immediately apologize and retract the article that not only threatens to withhold visas from Chancellor Pradeep Khosla but also suggests the university would be punished by withholding students.”
“The newspaper’s portrayal of the Dalai Lama as an anti-China separatist is also patently false.
“I’ve known the Dalai Lama for more than 25 years and was directly involved in the latest discussions between him and the Chinese government. The Dalai Lama doesn’t wish to separate Tibet from China. Rather, he strives for greater autonomy so Tibetans may freely practice their faith.
“The Dalai Lama’s desire to end religious persecution for his people doesn’t make him a separatist, it makes him a peaceful leader who should serve as an inspiration to all students. The Chinese government and the media outlets it directly controls should recognize this and not threaten Americans or American institutions.”
