Paris: Representative Tashi Phuntsok met with Ambassador Francois Chih-Chung Wu of Taiwan yesterday, Monday 20 December at the Taiwanese Representative’s Office in Paris. This meeting reconnected each other as both had met in September during the 20th Himalayan Festival organised by the Bureau du Tibet, Paris. The Representatives took part together in a panel discussion then.

Ambassador Wu, after having welcomed Representative Phuntsok and Mr. Namgyal Samdup, Coordinator in Bureau du Tibet, Paris, who had accompanied him, reviewed the current critical atmosphere in the region around his country. He recalled his diplomatic efforts consequent to Chinese challenges and threats.  He mentioned the deteriorating relations with Lithuania and China.

Representative thanked the Ambassador for the meeting at short notice. He informed Ambassador Wu about the draconian life in Tibet and Tibet being the least free country in the world. He assured, nevertheless, that the spirit of Tibetans is uncrushed. Tibet will not disappear, he said. Representative Phuntsok also recalled the swirling international anger at China’s treatment of peoples of Tibet, East Turkestan and others, including the perpetual threat of invasion on Taiwan.

He applauded Lithuania for its courage to withdraw from 17+group. He also mentioned the close relationship that Tibetans and Lithunians have for many decades, in particular the parliamentarians in the country.

Further to many issues of common concern, the forthcoming winter Olympics in Beijing was discussed at length. Representative Phuntsok recalled the growing diplomatic boycott of the games by the  United States, Canada, Australia and the UK to protest against Chinese continued violations of human rights by China. The worldwide campaign against China in this regard formed some part of the discussion too.