Sikyong Meets Key US Officials to Strengthen Tibet Advocacy Post USAID Cut
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 8 May: Subsequent to his meetings with the current and former Chairs of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee on 1 May, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has engaged in further diplomatic engagements with high-ranking US officials, including the US Department of State and members of the US Congress.
According to a report on Tibet.net, the official webpage of the CTA today, on 5 May, Sikyong Tsering of the CTA met with US Senator Jeff Merkley, a key sponsor of the Resolve Tibet Act of 2024. During the meeting, the Senator has reaffirmed his commitment to the Tibetan cause, stressing the importance of renewed and peaceful Sino-Tibetan dialogue.
On 6 May, Sikyong Tsering held discussions on Tibet and CTA’s diplomatic outreach with eight senior officials from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour(DRL), and South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) and East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP).
The officials were reportedly briefed on current developments in occupied Tibet and the CTA’s diplomatic outreach. Reincarnation, a key issue of concern between the CTA and the Chinese government, was raised by members, to which the Sikyong has asserted “that such attempts will not succeed.”
He also had subsequent talks with US Senator Lindsey Graham, Representative Gregory Meeks, a Ranking Member within the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and with Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
The report noted that Representative Meeks expressed his resolute support for the Tibetan cause, emphasising specifically that the wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama “is more vital now than ever.”
During the consultation, it is stated that Sikyong brought to attention the significant correlation between recent funding cuts and the potential endangerment of long-standing US support for Tibetan programmes.
Furthermore, Sikyong has advocated for the appointment procedure to be initiated for the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, a post which currently remains unfilled.
Senator Ted Cruz has reaffirmed his support for the Tibetan people. During the meeting, Sikyong Tsering is stated to have raised the importance of maintaining broadcasts by Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA), stating that these remain critical sources of information for Tibetans inside Tibet.
The head of the Tibetan polity additionally engaged in a luncheon consultation with personnel from the International Campaign for Tibet(ICT) and with Shraddha Kharel Pandey, who functions as the Director of International Technical Assistance at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
Sikyong Tsering is currently on a month-long visit to three nations: the United States, Canada, and Japan. He left the CTA headquarters on 26 April 2025.
