Taiepi — Over a hundred and fifty Tibetans and Chinese people from across the world, mostly intellectuals and writers took part in the Sino-Tibetan Conference "Finding Common Ground" from 22 – 24 April 2016 in Taipei, the Captial of Taiwan.
The Conference was organised by the Taiwan Office of Tibet in Taiepei, says it is a major project of the China Desk of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR).
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in a video message to the conference, reiterated that historically the Tibetans and Chinese people have maintained friendly relations for thousands of years.
He further said that there should now be a collective effort to find a common ground to establish a friendly and mutually-beneficial relations between the two in the future as well.
His Holiness expressed his hope that the conference will provide a forum to conduct a frank and thorough discussion on the possible ways to resolve the collective problem in a realistic manner.
DIIR Secretary Sonam Norbu Dagpo presented an overview of the evolution of the past engagements between Tibetans and Chinese people.
"The growing level of Sino-Tibetan interaction in the post-Tiananmen era has created better awareness and understanding about the situation in Tibet, which in turn has rejuvenated the quest for finding a common ground for the peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue," Mr Dagpo said during the opening ceremony of the conference on Saturday.
He further reaffirmed that His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration remain steadfast in their commitment to the Middle-Way Approach as the best way to peaceably resolve the Tibet issue in a mutually beneficial way.
Among those who addressed the opening ceremony of the conference were also three Taiwanese legislators: Taiwan's rock star Mr Freddy Lim, Ms Kolas Yotaka and Ms Yu Mei-nu. Former DPP Legislator Chen, Chieh-Ju, who has been a strong supporter of Tibet, was also present and addressed the ceremony.
The three-day conference features presentations and discussions on a whole gamut of issues related with Tibet and China by scholars, intellectuals, writers, activists and students from all over the world, including those from the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, Spain Hong Kong and Taiwan.
A similar conference was held on September 1, 2014, in Hamburg, Germany, where the conference came to the following consensus:
- to support the efforts of the CTA for dialogue with the Chinese Government;
- to make efforts that Sino-Tibetan people-to-people dialogue should not be limited to the political sphere, but also include areas of religion, culture and arts;
- to acknowledge that the issue of Tibet is not just the problem of Tibetans, but it has also relevance to the future of both the Chinese and Tibetan people;
- to express grave concerns about the serious human rights violations in Tibet and the deteriorating legal system, democratic development and human rights situation in China;
- to unanimously express recognition and support for the policy of the Middle Way Approach;
- to acknowledge the conference "Finding Common Ground" very meaningful and express that such meetings should be convened annually and agreed to form a working group of Tibetans and Chinese.
