Jul 28, 2025, 11:43
Czech President Petr Pavel met with the Dalai Lama during his visit to India on July 27, 2025, a diplomatic encounter that drew swift and fierce condemnation from China. According to a public statement via its embassy in Prague, China reiterated its unwavering commitment to the “one‑China” policy and insisted that any official contact with the Dalai Lama must be avoided. The Chinese government referred to the Dalai Lama as part of a separatist “clique” and warned that such meetings risk encouraging Tibetan independence sentiment.
India, hosting the spiritual leader in exile since 1959, is at the center of this confrontation—balancing its long-standing traditions of providing refuge with the diplomatic sensitivities arising from its complex relationship with Beijing. India hosts around 70,000 Tibetan exiles and supports a government-in-exile, creating an ongoing flashpoint in Sino‑Indian ties. China’s message demanded that the Czech government mitigate diplomatic consequences and prevent the amplification of separatist narratives.
This incident is likely to inject further tension into India’s regional foreign policy, testing its strategic balance between Western diplomatic relations and managing its massive neighbor’s sensitivities.