Democratic China good for India, says Chinese dissident

India boosted global clamour for democracy in China by opening its door last week to activists seeking change in China, said Yang Jianli, a 1989 Tiananmen Square activist said.

Yang Jianli, a prominent Chinese dissident based in United States, told DH that it was disappointing to see India cancelling the visa issued to Uyghur leader Dolkun Isa in the wake of protests by China. “But, at the same time, we cannot overlook the fact that Indian government actually allowed us to hold such a conference in India, that too in a sensitive place like Dharamsala,” said Yang.

His organisation Citizen Power for China held the conference, which last week brought activists seeking “a peaceful transition to democracy” in the communist country together at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, the seat of Tibetan government-in-exile. The Tibetans, Uyghurs and representatives of minorities of China attended the conference. Dalai Lama, the icon of Tibetans’ resistance against Chinese rule in Tibet, addressed the delegates, who also had among them Katrina Lantos Swett, a prominent US human rights activist. “By allowing so many people, who want to change China, to come to India, the India sent out a clear message to China and the  world. The message being India — the largest democratic nation in the world — is willing to lead and act to uphold the principle of democracy,” said Yang. ‘Individuals came to meet Dalai Lama’

The government on Thursday said that the Chinese dissidents did not hold any “conference”, but admitted that “certain individuals” had met the Dalai Lama at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh, DHNS reports from New Delhi.

“There was no conference in India last week. Certain individuals had come to India to meet the Dalai Lama. As you are aware, Dalai Lama is a respected spiritual leader and there is absolutely no bar on foreigners coming to India to have religious or spiritual audience with him,” said Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.