International Campaign for Tibet

Congressmen ask State Department to undertake visible, public diplomacy on Tibet

Congressmen Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on August 9, 2012, calling for the United States to "increase diplomatic and international pressure on the Chinese government to reverse the crisis in Tibet."

The letter observes that the situation in Tibet has demonstrably worsened, as the Chinese have imposed increasingly harsh measures in response to the series of self-immolations by Tibetans. The Congressmen wrote that, while the Department regularly raises the Tibet issue with Chinese officials, they believe a "visible, public, and coordinated diplomacy is necessary for the Chinese government to feel pressure to alter its content."

Specifically, the letter:

• suggests that the U.S. government host an international conference
  on Tibet
• recommends periodic, public meetings, such as a contact group, on
  Tibet among governments;
• discuss forming such a contact group at the upcoming United Nations
  General Assembly meeting; and
• asks the U.S. to demonstrate its support for Tibetans as part of its
  "pivot to Asia."