A bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers met the 14th Dalai Lama at his residence in A five-member US congressional delegation met the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala on Wednesday, reaffirming support for the Tibetan people. Led by House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast, the delegation included James Gallagher, Jimmy Patronis, Shri Thanedar and Haley Stevens. Their discussions focused on freedom, Tibet and the future of Tibetan Buddhism, bringing renewed attention to the dispute over who should determine the Dalai Lama’s successor. The visit highlighted continuing international support for Tibetans’ religious and cultural rights.
India’s role also deserves recognition as it is allowing to raise the legitimate voice to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile community, it has helped preserve their faith, identity and public voice. Hosting such meetings carries diplomatic risks, given Beijing’s longstanding opposition to foreign engagement with the Tibetan leader. China’s angry response to a similar visit in 2024 illustrates those tensions. India’s continued hospitality offers vital space for the Tibetan cause, even as New Delhi manages a difficult relationship with China.
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US lawmakers voice support for Tibetan freedom
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mast said the delegation had a wide-ranging discussion with the Dalai Lama. He said China was among the key issues discussed and stressed the importance of freedom for the Tibetan people. Mast also acknowledged that the visit could draw a strong reaction from Beijing. He said that simply meeting the Dalai Lama was likely to be viewed negatively by the Chinese government. The US lawmakers presented their visit as part of a broader commitment to religious freedom and human rights. Gallagher said the delegation wanted to continue dialogue and demonstrate continued support for freedom. He referred to former US president George Washington’s words about keeping the “sacred fire of liberty” burning and connected that idea with the Dalai Lama’s decades-long advocacy for the Tibetan people. Stevens similarly said the United States would not forget the history of Tibetans and highlighted what she described as the Dalai Lama’s message of peace and democracy.
Succession of the Dalai Lama emerges as a key issue
One of the most sensitive subjects discussed during the visit was the succession of the Dalai Lama. The question has become increasingly important because Beijing has asserted that the selection of any future Dalai Lama must follow Chinese law. Tibetan authorities and supporters of the Dalai Lama maintain that the recognition of reincarnated Tibetan Buddhist leaders is a religious matter that should remain within the Tibetan tradition. Mast accused China of seeking to influence the process and warned that Beijing could attempt to appoint its own candidate.
The issue is particularly sensitive because of the history surrounding the Panchen Lama. The Dalai Lama recognized Gedhun Choekyi Nyima as the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995. Chinese authorities subsequently took him into custody and appointed another individual to the position. His whereabouts have remained a matter of international concern. The dispute over the Panchen Lama has become an important backdrop to the wider disagreement over who should determine the next Dalai Lama.
China and the United States remain divided over Tibet
China regards Tibet as part of its territory and strongly rejects what it describes as foreign interference in its internal affairs. Beijing has also criticized international political support for the Dalai Lama and Tibetan groups. The United States has repeatedly raised concerns about religious freedom and human rights in Tibet. Washington has also maintained that Tibetans should be able to preserve their religious and cultural traditions. The latest visit therefore carries significance beyond the meeting itself. It comes at a time when Washington and Beijing continue to manage disagreements over human rights, trade, security and other strategic issues. Mast said that dialogue between American and Chinese leaders remained important despite disagreements over China’s policies in Tibet and other regions. He pointed to the recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping and said engagement between the leaders of the world’s two major powers remained necessary. At the same time he stressed that dialogue did not mean abandoning concerns about what the US delegation considers restrictions on freedom.
A continuing pattern of US engagement with the Dalai Lama
The Dharamshala visit is not the first time a senior US congressional delegation has travelled to meet the Dalai Lama. In June 2024, a bipartisan US House delegation that included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul also visited Dharamshala. That delegation met the Dalai Lama and expressed support for Tibetans and their religious and cultural rights. The latest visit shows that Tibet continues to remain an issue of interest within the US Congress despite broader efforts by Washington and Beijing to maintain diplomatic engagement.
Conclusion
The meeting between the US congressional delegation and the Dalai Lama has once again placed Tibet and the future of Tibetan Buddhism in the international spotlight. For the lawmakers, the visit was an opportunity to publicly reaffirm support for Tibetan freedom and religious traditions. For Beijing, the question of the Dalai Lama’s succession remains closely tied to its authority over Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism. As the discussion over the next Dalai Lama’s succession becomes more prominent, the issue is likely to remain a significant point of disagreement between China and the United States keeping India in background. The Dharamshala meeting makes clear that members of the US Congress intend to keep Tibet and the rights of Tibetans part of that wider conversation.
