China's assertions of a happy Tibet at the U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue in Washington this week has led to an an outcry among the Tibetan community.
China told the Washington government Thursday that the Tibetans and Uighur minorities are enjoying happiness and "unprecedented" freedom when Washington raised the human rights issues in China with the delegation led by Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
"China has made important progress on human rights. People in various regions in China including Xinjiang and Tibet are enjoying happier lives and they are enjoying unprecedented freedoms," said Yang Jiechi in a joint press conference.
Following reports of China's tale of Tibet at the press conference, overseas Tibetans have started reacting against China's statement.
"While Chinese soldiers are shooting upon our people in Tibet just for praying for the Dalai Lama and now telling to the world that Tibet is enjoying much happiness. It is like putting salt over the wound. But we won't be surprised by the Beijing's comment as that is what they do all the time but we will be surprised if the world actually believes in what Beijing dictates," said Tseten Zochbaur, an Austria based Tibetan activist.
"How can world believe in what China says, look what they did just days back. They shoot at our people just for celebrating the Dalai Lama's birthday. They are still in hospital, they are in critical condition," added the activist.
The U.S. state department in its annual human rights report said that the human rights conditions in Tibet and Xinjiang in recent months had deteriorated.
Referring to Washington's urge to address the grievances of Tibetans and Uighurs, the Chinese delegation advised the Obama administration to stay away from meddling into China's internal affairs.
"We hope the United States will improve its own human rights situation on the basis of mutual respect and non-intervention in each other's internal affairs," said Yang Jiechi, one of the heads of the Chinese delegation in Washington.
