Senior U.S. Officials Meet with Dalai Lama in New York, Reaffirm Commitment to Tibetan Human Rights

Senior U.S. officials met with the Dalai Lama in New York on Wednesday, reaffirming America’s commitment to advancing human rights for Tibetans, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department. The meeting with the 89-year-old exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism is likely to provoke China, which views him as a dangerous separatist and opposes any official contact with him by other nations.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following an unsuccessful uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet. He traveled to New York in June for medical treatment on his knees, marking his first visit to the United States since 2017.

In a statement, the State Department said that Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya, who also serves as the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, traveled to New York to meet with the Dalai Lama. Kelly Razzaq, the White House Director for Human Rights, was also present at the meeting.

Zeya conveyed President Biden’s best wishes for the Dalai Lama’s health and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting efforts to advance Tibetan human rights and preserve their unique historical, linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. The statement also mentioned that Zeya discussed U.S. efforts to address human rights abuses in Tibet and the support for restarting dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama.

Before the Dalai Lama’s U.S. visit, a group of American lawmakers met with him in India and vowed not to allow China to influence the selection of his successor. Last month, China strongly opposed a U.S. law signed by President Joe Biden, which pressures Beijing to resolve the conflict over greater autonomy for Tibet and vows to “firmly defend” its interests.

The Dalai Lama has met with U.S. officials, including former U.S. Presidents, during previous visits to the United States. However, President Biden has not met with him since taking office in 2021.

In 2020, Biden criticized then-President Donald Trump for being the only U.S. President in three decades who neither met nor engaged with the Tibetan spiritual leader, calling it “disgraceful.”

Wednesday’s meeting comes at a time when Biden is trying to stabilize deteriorating relations with China ahead of the November 5th presidential election, where Vice President Kamala Harris is facing off against Donald Trump.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the meeting.