Tibet's leader-in-exile expressed disappointment Thursday that he was not able to secure a meeting with Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta during his first-ever visit to New Zealand.
"Of course, I am not very happy that New Zealand's foreign minister is not meeting me," Penpa Tsering, president of Tibet's self-declared government-in-exile, said.
Tsering is the president of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which is based in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala.
"But this is my first visit to this country, so I am also making an assessment on how responsive the New Zealand government is to the cries of help from Tibetans.
"I understand the prime minister of New Zealand is leading a trade delegation to China at the end of this month, so my visit has become much more sensitive it seems."
Despite being unable to meet any government ministers during his three-day visit, Tsering is set to attend an afternoon lunch hosted by National lawmaker Simon O'Connor in Wellington on Friday. O'Connor is also a co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China.
Penpa Tsering, president of Tibet's self-declared government-in-exile, speaks in Auckland during his first-ever visit to New Zealand. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom
"I hope to meet at least a few New Zealand MPs from different political parties when I am in Wellington," he said.
"I hope New Zealand's political leadership is willing to listen and bring about some change of heart."
In a statement to RNZ, the New Zealand Foreign Ministry said Tsering did not request a meeting with Mahuta.
"The New Zealand government does not recognise the Central Tibetan Administration and accepts China's sovereignty over Tibet," the ministry said.
"We support dialogue between the government of China and representatives of all Tibetan communities, with the aim of finding enduring solutions to social, freedom of religion and economic issues in the region."
Tsering has embarked on overseas tours in recent years to gain support for what he calls the "Tibetan cause".
Addressing the US Congress for the first time earlier this year, Tsering said that Tibet was dying a "slow death under Chinese rule".
He went further in an interview with RNZ on Thursday, saying "every single policy and programme of the Chinese government is aimed at destroying or annihilating the identity of Tibetans".
"Tibetans cannot undertake any political activity in Tibet," he said. "You cannot voice anything against the Chinese government. You cannot put a picture of the Dalai Lama anywhere.
"Since 2009, 157 Tibetans have self-immolated, and most of these are between the age of 17 to 35. They have never witnessed independent Tibet or the cultural revolution. These people have just responded to what the Chinese government is doing to the Tibetan people now, inside Tibet."
Tsering said Chinese interference extended to all facets of life in Tibet, including religion, education and language.
"The numbers of monks and nuns in Tibet now have come down drastically from the times of independent Tibet.
"They don't have any freedom of movement. They have to seek at least four to five permits to move around. The Chinese security agencies are running the monasteries in Tibet."
China has historically claimed Tibet as its sovereign territory, with the region achieving "epoch-making change … since its peaceful liberation in 1951", according to a statement by the Chinese Embassy on Friday.
Autonomy - under the Chinese constitution
One significant change in the Tibetan movement over the past six decades, ever since the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, has been the shift of the CTA's stance on complete independence from China.
"Neither is Dalai Lama a separatist leader nor is CTA a separatist organisation," Tsering said. "But it is also true that Tibet is an occupied country where China rules with an iron fist. I agree there has been a shift in our stance considering the realities of today's world.
"Now, we want China to take a middle approach, which is a Buddhist concept avoiding the extreme polarities of Tibet's history as an independent state and its current state under Chinese rule. Our demand is for Tibet to have genuine autonomy and we are willing to live under the Chinese constitution."
Pressed on what he meant by autonomy, Tsering reiterated CTA's stance of being able to preserve Tibetan identity, which included "freedom to practice our religion, promote our language and the way of life, and protect our environment, within the ambit of Chinese constitution".
"It's a more pragmatic dream," he said, noting that the administration had been engaged in some back-channel talks with Beijing. "But for things to progress, China needs to change as well."
Tibet's leader-in-exile is also adamant the movement that started in 1959 after the Dalai Lama fled to India had been a success.
"There are so many exile governments in the world, but we are the only one with a structured democratic policy," he said.
"Even after 63 years since we came into exile, our movement is still going on. Still, it's very strong. This is mainly due to the spirit of the Tibetans living inside Tibet. That's why I say our movement has been a success. Otherwise, it would have died long ago."
A question that comes up is what will happen to the Tibetan cause when the Dalai Lama turns 90 in a couple of years? The spiritual leader had earlier indicated this would be the age when he would make a decision on whether his position would continue as an institution.
"While it's true our movement got huge traction worldwide because of the popularity of the Dalai Lama and he has done immensely for the cause, it will definitely survive him," Tsering said.
"He has been preparing us for the last 30 years for this transition."
