A high-level US congressional delegation, including the former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, met with the Dalai Lama at his home in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, on Wednesday in a visit that infuriated Beijing, more so because Ms Pelosi severely criticised Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to media reports, the delegation led by Republican chairman of the House committee on foreign affairs Michael McCaul arrived earlier on Tuesday. The trip comes days after the US Congress passed a bill with bipartisan support that urged China to start dialogue with Tibetan leaders to find a solution to the longstanding conflict.
Ms Pelosi was quoted by media reports saying, “The Dalai Lama will live a long time and his legacy will live forever, but you, the President (Mr Xi), will be gone and nobody will give you credit for anything...
The Dalai Lama will not approve of my saying this...
that I am criticising the Chinese government...
But I hope he will indulge me today in saying change is on the way. As our colleagues have said, hope brings some faith and the faith of the Tibetan people, in the goodness of others, is going to make all the difference..
.” Ms Pelosi also reportedly said that bipartisan approval for the Resolve Tibet Act sends a message to China that Washington is clear in its thinking on this issue. “This bill says to the Chinese government -- things have changed now, get ready for that,” she was quoted as saying to cheering Tibetans at an event on Wednesday afterno.
