20 July 2024

US' rivalry with China primary driver for 'Resolve Tibet Act': Former NSA Shivshankar Menon


The primary driver for the US recently passing the 'Resolve Tibet Act' is its "rivalry with China", not any concern for Tibet, claimed former national security adviser (NSA) Shivshankar Menon. Speaking at the launch of former diplomat Dilip Sinha's book "Imperial Games in Tibet: The Struggle for Statehood and Sovereignty" on Tuesday, Menon argued that there are "clear limits" to America's commitment to Tibet and they are waving the flag of Tibet today in its own interest.

"I would be very careful to say 'Oh! the world is changed, they (the US) have passed an act'. I think you need to look at the basic correlation of forces and the balance of forces, and the actual strength of the people and what is the interest of the great powers and how they see it at this time.

"Today, the Americans see it as in their interest to at least wave the flag of Tibet but this doesn't extend to recognising Tibet... It is driven not by the concern for Tibet, the primary driver here is the rivalry with China," said Menon, who has also served as the foreign secretary from 2006-09.

US President Joe Biden has recently signed into law a bill that enhances American support for Tibet and promotes dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama towards a peaceful resolution of the dispute over the status and governance of the remote Himalayan region.

No comments: