In a resolution adopted today in Brussels, the European Parliament has once again condemned China’s ongoing assimilationist policies and abuses of religious freedom in Tibet and called for an immediate end to Chinese interference in Tibetan Buddhism.
The resolution, adopted during the Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, “firmly opposes any attempt by the Chinese Government to interfere in the selection of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders”, including the Dalai Lama. It also calls for an independent investigation into the recent death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje, whose recent death under suspicious circumstances in Vietnam raised concerns about possible Chinese transnational repression, and reiterates demands for the release of the Panchen Lama. In addition, the Parliament urged the EU to impose targeted sanctions on Chinese officials and entities responsible for human rights violations in Tibet.
“Tibetan Buddhism lies at the heart of Tibetan identity and has therefore been a primary target of the Chinese government’s ruthless efforts to forcibly assimilate the Tibetan people and erase their distinct culture,” said ICT’s EU Policy Director Vincent Metten. “As China and the EU marked 50 years of diplomatic relations this week, this resolution is a strong reminder that Europeans support the Tibetan people’s right to practice their faith freely and to preserve their religious heritage – and that the EU and its Member States must do more to hold China accountable for interfering in Tibetan spiritual affairs, including its unacceptable claim to control the Dalai Lama’s succession.”
The text was adopted just days before 17 May, the day marking 30 years of enforced disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, one of Tibet’s most important religious figures, who was abducted by Chinese authorities on 17 May 1995, simply because he had been recognized by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of a prominent Tibetan Buddhist leader. His case is a stark reminder of the extreme measures the Chinese Communist Party is willing to take – including the abduction of a 6-year-old child – to suppress Tibetan religious freedom and interfere in Tibetan spiritual affairs.
Under President Xi Jinping, religious freedom in Tibet has faced escalating repression. Monks and nuns are subjected to political re-education campaigns, monasteries have been demolished or placed under tight surveillance, and even possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama can lead to prison sentences. The Chinese government has also made clear its intent to control the succession of the revered Tibetan spiritual leader – who will turn 90 on 6 July this year – in total violation of a centuries-old religious tradition.
During the debate on the resolution on 7 May, Engin Eroglu, Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the People’s Republic of China, said: “We cannot allow that a peaceful Buddhist religion is being eradicated while the world watches. This is a message I call on you to take this message with you and take it seriously, Mr. Commissioner.” In his response to Members of the European Parliament, EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said: “We continue to urge the Chinese government not to interfere in succession processes, including in the succession process of the Dalai Lama.” He added that the EU will continue to raise Tibet with the Chinese leadership, including during the next EU-China Summit whose next round is expected to take place this summer.
The European Parliament has repeatedly spoken up on the situation in Tibet, including in a resolution in December 2023 condemning China’s coercive boarding school system for Tibetan children. Earlier this year, the “Parliamentary Group for Tibet” was reestablished following the 2024 EU elections.