Plan for Dalai Lama to visit Hong Kong may fall prey to Beijing's meddling

[WisdomBeing]

I thought this article was interesting - if HH Dalai Lama is allowed to visit Hong Kong, it would indicate a change of heart from the Chinese government who has protested every time the Dalai Lama visits any country! I doubt that the Dalai Lama will be allowed into Hong Kong despite Philip Li's optimism.

As I have said in other threads previously - the Dalai Lama should lift the ban on Dorje Shugden, so that China will see the Dalai Lama as someone who is willing to support China's authority. Since China is pro-Dorje Shugden, the Dalai Lama's  change of heart would show acquiescence to the Chinese which could indicate a possible path to dialogue. It would be a good try anyway, don't you think!


Plan for Dalai Lama to visit Hong Kong may fall prey to Beijing's meddling
Immigration officials tight-lipped about whether Tibetan spiritual leader will be allowed into city
Monday, 03 June, 2013, 7:14am
Phila Siu [email protected]
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1252219/plan-dalai-lama-visit-hong-kong-may-fall-prey-beijings-meddling


Philip Li shows a gift from the Dalai Lama. Photo: Jonathan Wong

A religious group has invited the Dalai Lama to Hong Kong in September and is confident that the trip will go ahead, despite the tensions between the Tibetan spiritual leader and the mainland's government.

Philip Li Koi-hop, chairman of the Hong Kong Tibetan and Han-Chinese Friendship Association, said he has visited the Dalai Lama four times in India between 2009 and 2011.

"One time I asked him if he wanted to come to Hong Kong. He answered 'Yes', and said a University of Hong Kong professor had invited him earlier. But the Hong Kong government rejected the visit," Li said yesterday.

Li sent his current invitation to the 77-year-old spiritual leader following his return from his latest visit.

The Dalai Lama's office has not yet given him a reply, but Li said that was normal protocol.

Li hopes to use media pressure to urge the Dalai Lama to come to Hong Kong as well as to lean on the Immigration Department to allow the visit.

But political scientist Dr James Sung Lap-kung of City University said the invitation would prompt Beijing to meddle in Hong Kong's affairs.

He said the central government had taken a "hardline approach" to the Dalai Lama for a long time and that the chances it would suddenly soften its stance to allow the visit were slim.

Li has applied to the Immigration Department to allow the Dalai Lama to visit the city, but it has not given an answer. It has said only that it processes all applications according to the law and current immigration policy.

It said it would consider all factors related to an application before making a final decision.

Li says that if the exiled leader is allowed to enter Hong Kong, his visit will represent significant progress in easing tensions with Beijing. He says he is confident that the Dalai Lama will be able to make the trip.

The association has also sent letters to authorities on the mainland, and to President Xi Jinping, about the proposed visit. It has yet to receive a reply.

The 14th Dalai Lama was named in 1950, a year after the founding of the People's Republic of China. He has not returned to Tibet since a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.

[Ensapa]

Hong Kong does belong to China now once more, so it is only natural that they also follow China's policies on this matter. Again, the person inviting the Dalai Lama is a professor and one does ask what does a university has anything to do with a spiritual leader? why dont they invite the pope instead? There is a lot of questions that one must ask, especially with regards to the motivation behind the invitation of the Dalai Lama to Hong Kong. Is it to provoke the Chinese government further? or is it truly for spiritual reasons that the Dalai Lama is invited to Hong Kong? Personally tho, if HHDL requested for autonomy like the one that Hong Kong has, it might just work out after all.

[Rihanna]

Personally, I agree with what Kate mentioned. I do not see a chance that the Chinese government will allow HH Dalai Lama to enter Hong Kong. Perhaps Phillip Li is too optimistic and his hope of HH Dalai Lama to turn up in Hong Kong could be something too early to even dream about. Unless there is any ease of tensions between the the Chinese government and HH Dalai Lama, hope of seeing Dalai Lama to be in China’s territory would remain just a dream to be fulfilled.

 It is sad that one's spirituality becomes the victim of politics....

[Ensapa]

Personally, I agree with what Kate mentioned. I do not see a chance that the Chinese government will allow HH Dalai Lama to enter Hong Kong. Perhaps Phillip Li is too optimistic and his hope of HH Dalai Lama to turn up in Hong Kong could be something too early to even dream about. Unless there is any ease of tensions between the the Chinese government and HH Dalai Lama, hope of seeing Dalai Lama to be in China’s territory would remain just a dream to be fulfilled.

 It is sad that one's spirituality becomes the victim of politics....

There's no way at this time that China would allow HHDL to go to Hong Kong or any of their territories due to the ongoing political battles between China and the CTA. It is pretty obvious, however, that there is little that there is to do with spirituality on inviting the Dalai Lama to Hong kong or even talking about it when we know that the Dalai Lama will not be able to come and he will be blocked from going anyway, so his 'invitation' is merely a ruse to create publicity in some way. One of the main problems of the CTA is TYC as they do not adhere to the Dalai Lama's instructions completely and it will cause inconsistency problems between HHDL's policy and how the world sees it. China has been unhappy with the Dalai Lama because of this and the kind of lumped the actions of the TYC with the Dalai Lama and somehow the Dalai Lama is responsible for the actions of the TYC. It is due to this that China sees the Dalai Lama as a hypocrite.

[Tammy]

It always make me sick to the core when dharma is being tinted or polluted by politics! Unfortunately, as long as we are still in samara, this is gonna be inevitable. The only thing positive of this is the meddling of China government in Tibet, directly causing the spread of Tietan Buddhism in the West...THANK YOU THANK YOU LOL LOL

[Ensapa]

It always make me sick to the core when dharma is being tinted or polluted by politics! Unfortunately, as long as we are still in samara, this is gonna be inevitable. The only thing positive of this is the meddling of China government in Tibet, directly causing the spread of Tietan Buddhism in the West...THANK YOU THANK YOU LOL LOL

Well, what is happening to Tibetan Buddhism isnt that bad compared to what is happening to other countries and other traditions. Just look at the issue with Myanmar and Sri Lanka. In Myanmar, racism suddenly gets coated with religion and is sold as such by worldwide media just because it is more sensational that way, and in Sri Lanka, there is a rogue Buddhist group that is trying to control people and the government and demanding that things be done their way. There is also another "buddhist" group in Thailand that was also deeply involved with getting rid of Taksin in the country. There's no difference between the politics of the various traditions, one is not worse than the other so we shouldnt get 'sick' from reading it. Instead, maintain a neutral mind and remember our goals.

[kris]

I agree with Tammy... this is another classic example of things go wrong when mixing politics with Buddhism... One cannot doubt the attainment of HH Dalai Lama and how well he convey Dharma, and now, just because political reasons, people in Hong Kong may not be getting Dharma. This is such a shame

Please stop the politics in Buddhism, and get on with the real practice.

[Ensapa]

I agree with Tammy... this is another classic example of things go wrong when mixing politics with Buddhism... One cannot doubt the attainment of HH Dalai Lama and how well he convey Dharma, and now, just because political reasons, people in Hong Kong may not be getting Dharma. This is such a shame

Please stop the politics in Buddhism, and get on with the real practice.

It is difficult to take Dalai Lama off his political role as he has a responsibility to take care of the Tibetans, however, it is still possible to separate him from his political role, but that depends on how well the Tibetans cooperate with him on the middle way policy and how will they act to appease China instead of provoking them further. China wants peace and stability, so give them that! Instead of protests and self immolations, the CTA should be more sincere in their efforts of engaging with China and making peace with them. They should also learn to curb hate speech against China before it makes them further from their goal.

[bonfire]

Maybe it be possible that one day the Dalai Lama decides to practically dissociates himself from the CTA?
He has already stepped down from his political role, so he truly is now a monk.

What if the Dalai Lama wanted to spend the rest of his life in retreat in China-Tibet?
He could do that, couldn't he?
The visit to Hong kong is tinted with politics, and it does not matter that he has stepped down from politics, the population of Hong Kong and China does not know that and they will get confused about the message sent by his visit to the city.

But what if the Dalai Lama discusses with the Chinese governement directly (without the CTA) and negociates a return in Tibet?
Doesn't the Dalai Lama himslef always say that he WILL go back to Tibet?
The Chinese Governement is a reasonnable, educated and a peace forward thinking body, none of this can be said of the CTA.

So I say, if the DL is to re-enter the Chinese soil, let's make it clear for all Chinese and the world that he enters as a monk, as a friend of the governement of China that regards Dorje Shugden as the Protector of this time, and that supports a Tibetan-China future, together.
This would serve peace for Tibetans in and outside of China, even if it would upset a small few with a limited understanding.

China will be in peace with or without this happening, And China does not need the Dalai Lama to do this or that, but it is an interseting perspective to think about: the DL retiring in China...

I agree with Tammy... this is another classic example of things go wrong when mixing politics with Buddhism... One cannot doubt the attainment of HH Dalai Lama and how well he convey Dharma, and now, just because political reasons, people in Hong Kong may not be getting Dharma. This is such a shame

Please stop the politics in Buddhism, and get on with the real practice.

It is difficult to take Dalai Lama off his political role as he has a responsibility to take care of the Tibetans, however, it is still possible to separate him from his political role, but that depends on how well the Tibetans cooperate with him on the middle way policy and how will they act to appease China instead of provoking them further. China wants peace and stability, so give them that! Instead of protests and self immolations, the CTA should be more sincere in their efforts of engaging with China and making peace with them. They should also learn to curb hate speech against China before it makes them further from their goal.

[Ensapa]

Maybe it be possible that one day the Dalai Lama decides to practically dissociates himself from the CTA?
He has already stepped down from his political role, so he truly is now a monk.

What if the Dalai Lama wanted to spend the rest of his life in retreat in China-Tibet?
He could do that, couldn't he?
The visit to Hong kong is tinted with politics, and it does not matter that he has stepped down from politics, the population of Hong Kong and China does not know that and they will get confused about the message sent by his visit to the city.

But what if the Dalai Lama discusses with the Chinese governement directly (without the CTA) and negociates a return in Tibet?
Doesn't the Dalai Lama himslef always say that he WILL go back to Tibet?
The Chinese Governement is a reasonnable, educated and a peace forward thinking body, none of this can be said of the CTA.

So I say, if the DL is to re-enter the Chinese soil, let's make it clear for all Chinese and the world that he enters as a monk, as a friend of the governement of China that regards Dorje Shugden as the Protector of this time, and that supports a Tibetan-China future, together.
This would serve peace for Tibetans in and outside of China, even if it would upset a small few with a limited understanding.

China will be in peace with or without this happening, And China does not need the Dalai Lama to do this or that, but it is an interseting perspective to think about: the DL retiring in China...

If the Dalai Lama ever disassociates himself from CTA and TYC, I am sure China will listen and the negotiations will be successful. but because the people in both CTA and TYC lack self restraint and wisdom and act in whatever ways they like, they basically just destroy whatever progress they had with China in the past in favor of more violent and brash methods of expressing their desire for a free Tibet. One could have say that in some ways, the Tibetans are sabotaging themselves by refusing to cooperate with the Dalai Lama and going their own way although their mouth says they love the Dalai Lama but their actions say otherwise.

[Positive Change]

Maybe it be possible that one day the Dalai Lama decides to practically dissociates himself from the CTA?
He has already stepped down from his political role, so he truly is now a monk.
 
What if the Dalai Lama wanted to spend the rest of his life in retreat in China-Tibet?
He could do that, couldn't he?
The visit to Hong kong is tinted with politics, and it does not matter that he has stepped down from politics, the population of Hong Kong and China does not know that and they will get confused about the message sent by his visit to the city.
 
But what if the Dalai Lama discusses with the Chinese governement directly (without the CTA) and negociates a return in Tibet?
Doesn't the Dalai Lama himslef always say that he WILL go back to Tibet?
The Chinese Governement is a reasonnable, educated and a peace forward thinking body, none of this can be said of the CTA.
 
So I say, if the DL is to re-enter the Chinese soil, let's make it clear for all Chinese and the world that he enters as a monk, as a friend of the governement of China that regards Dorje Shugden as the Protector of this time, and that supports a Tibetan-China future, together.
This would serve peace for Tibetans in and outside of China, even if it would upset a small few with a limited understanding.
 
China will be in peace with or without this happening, And China does not need the Dalai Lama to do this or that, but it is an interseting perspective to think about: the DL retiring in China...

 
This is an interesting thought and one angle that I did not imagine nor even thought of contemplating.

Let me imagine the conditions that could be AFTER such hypothetical negotiations:
 
Conditions that China would ask for the Dalai Lama to abide by:
1. to remove the ban on Dorje Shugden,
2. to not speak to the press about any political matters,
3. to not publish anything (book, articles...) that has not been approved by China,
4. to remain in China and in the region of Tibet,
5. to not engage in any political activity.
 
Conditions that the Dalai Lama party would ask for China to abide by:
1. to allow the Dalai Lama to have an accompanying entourage and travel freely,
2. to ensure the security of the Dalai Lama and his entourage,
3. to allow the Dalai lama to give teachings,
4. to not impose on the Dalai Lama any public appearance,
5. to allow the Dalai Lama to reside in the place of His choice in Tibet.
 
Well it almost seems contradictory conditions but not impossible to work out. I reckon, as long as China is confident the Dalai Lama will drop the political stance of Tibet altogether, China will have no qualms in leaving the Dalai Lama be...

I wonder... hmmmm

[Rinchen]

Personally I think that Philip Li is being overly optimistic about the situation. There is no reason for him to invite the Dalai Lama over to Hong Kong. If the reason is to give a talk at the university, people may think otherwise about the trip. Some may think that the Dalai Lama is using this chance to gain supporters in Hong Kong, then later have some political rebel against the Chinese government system.

If it is for a religious talk for the students at the university, I think that it would be okay if the university also invite the other religions' religious leaders. Only through this it would be deemed as fair and people would not suspect the other reasons that the Dalai Lama wants to go to Hong Kong.