(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Free Tibet protest at the Consulate General of China in San Francisco California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES CORRESPONDENT
SAN FRANCISCO – Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors marched through the streets of San Francisco Friday afternoon, ending at a rally outside China’s Consulate General building. The San Francisco protestors joined thousands of people around the world in the annual global commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. Today it is 64 years since hundreds of thousands of Tibetans rose up and demanded an end to China’s “illegal invasion and occupation” of their country. At the San Francisco protest, Tibetans and their supporters carried banners, shouted anti-China slogans and waved the Tibetan flag to protest Beijing’s handling of the unrest in their Himalayan country that began March 10. Tibet, or the Tibet Autonomous Region, was annexed by China in 1950. Protestors shouted: CHINA OUT OF TIBET! I AM TIBETAN! CHINA STOP KILLING TIBETANS!
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
On March 10, 1959, the Tibetan people led an uprising in Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet, which came under Chinese control in 1951. China maintains that Tibet is an inalienable part of China. Tibetans maintain that Tibet has historically been an independent country.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California on Tibetan National Uprising Day March 10, 2023)
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times / Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China located on Laguna Street in San Francisco, CA .
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rallied outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California March 10, 2023.
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times / Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China located on Laguna Street in San Francisco, CA .
U.S. Senators Reintroduce Legislation to Promote Peaceful Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict
On Feb. 08, 2023, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) joined Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA-02) and Michael McCaul (R-TX-10) in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to strengthen the United States’ policy to promote dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Dalai Lama toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Tibet and the PRC. The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Conflict Act seeks to empower the United States government to achieve it long-standing goal of getting Tibetans and PRC authorities to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue, according to a joint statement from the U.S. senators.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggression towards Tibet is self-serving, with negotiations and even the very definition of Tibet on the CCP’s terms. We must refresh U.S. policy towards Tibet, and push for negotiations that advance freedoms for the Tibetan people and peaceful resolution to the CCP’s conflict with the Dalai Lama. Putting this bill forward again demonstrates America’s resolve that the CCP’s status quo – both in Tibet and elsewhere – is not acceptable,” said Senator Young.
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Hundreds of Free Tibet protestors rallied outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California March 10, 2023.
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) Protestor with “Free Hong Kong” sign was among the hundreds of activists who rallied outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California March 10, 2023.
(Photo by Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times) San Francisco Police watch over the Free Tibet rally outside the Consulate General of China in San Francisco, California March 10, 2023.
