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With an EU like concept, ready to remain within China, says Dalai Lama

Beijing: Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, living in exile in India, has said that Tibet and China and exist together just like the European Union.

In a video message to the International Campaign for Tibet, Dalai Lama said that with a EU like concept, he is ready to remain within China.

ALSO READ: Tibet is not seeking independence, we want to stay with China, want more development: Dalai Lama

“I always, you see, admire the spirit of (the) European Union.Common interest (is) more important rather than one’s own national interest. With that kind of concept, I am very much willing to remain within the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese word, “gongheguo” (republic), shows some kind of union is there.”

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule and set up a government in exile in the foothills of Dharamsala. Chinese troops had seized control of Tibet nine years earlier.

China says Tibet in an integral part of its territory and has been for centuries. Beijing also says its rule ended serfdom and brought prosperity to what was a backward region, and that it fully respects the rights of the Tibetan people.

Recently, in a bid to improve ties between India and China after the Doklam Standoff, New Delhi in a note told senior leaders and govt officials to stay away from events hosted by the ‘government of Tibet in exile in India’.

The note was sent by  Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha.

China calls the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, a “splittist” and a “dangerous separatist”.

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