Antonio Graceffo
On July 6th, the 89th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was celebrated in Dharamshala, India and observed by the Tibetan diaspora and supporters worldwide. Beyond marking a milestone for the leader of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, this event carries significant political implications for China amid great power competition. Ironically, the one place his birthday was not celebrated was in his native Tibet, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) forbids citizens from having any contact with their spiritual leader, who has lived in exile since 1959. Each year, as his birthday approaches, the repression in Tibet intensifies. This year, under the revised espionage law, police have been conducting random cellphone checks to ensure Tibetans have not downloaded his photo to pray for him.
The celebration underscores India’s support for Tibetan Buddhism over the wishes of the CCP. Despite India’s membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Dalai Lama remains a major point of tension. The Indian ambassador even attended the first large-scale public celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Mongolia, where Tibetan Buddhism is the national religion. Since Mongolia won its independence from the Qing dynasty in 1921, China has tried to control the fiercely independent nation, and the Dalai Lama has been a sticking point. When the Dalai Lama visited Mongolia in November 2016, China responded with economic sanctions. Although Mongolia has avoided inviting His Holiness back to prevent reprisals, this celebration clearly demonstrates Mongolia’s refusal to submit to Chinese suzerainty.
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