US to Impose Visa Restrictions on Chinese Officials Over Forced Assimilation of Tibetan Children

The United States has announced plans to impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials involved in the forced enrollment of Tibetan children into state-run boarding schools aimed at erasing their language and culture.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement on Aug. 22, urging the Chinese authorities to cease their coercive tactics. “We urge PRC authorities to end the coercion of Tibetan children into government-run boarding schools and to cease repressive assimilation policies, both in Tibet and throughout other parts of the PRC,” he said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

This alarming practice has seen over a million Tibetan children placed in state-run boarding schools where programs are designed to assimilate them into the Han Chinese majority culture. The goal is to replace Tibetan identity and language with that of the Chinese culture. Although the statement did not disclose the specific names of the officials involved, it represents a strong stance against these oppressive measures.

We condemn the PRC’s forcible assimilation of Tibetan children in government-run boarding schools. Today @SecBlinken took action to promote accountability for officials involved in these egregious abuses. https://t.co/pPyNu7jfXm

— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) August 22, 2023

Tibet has been under Chinese rule since 1951, following the “peaceful liberation” as claimed by the Chinese regime. However, this annexation has led to a series of repressive measures in the region. Tibetan families face persecution for maintaining communication with relatives in exile. Reports suggest that Tibetans often receive calls from local security officials demanding the removal of sensitive information from their phones.

The International Campaign for Tibet, based in Washington, reported in September 2022 that the prolonged COVID-19 lockdown had led to several suicides, further exacerbating the oppressive living conditions in Tibet. Additionally, China’s strategy in the region involves encouraging the migration of Han Chinese, dismantling symbols of Tibetan culture and religion, and promoting Mandarin while suppressing the Tibetan language.

The decision to impose visa restrictions on Chinese officials follows warnings from United Nations experts in February. These experts expressed concerns over the surge in residential schools operating in Tibet, primarily using Mandarin for instruction and communication. Such policies have led to the erosion of Tibetan children’s connection with their language and heritage.

The recent announcement has been welcomed by human rights organizations such as the International Campaign for Tibet. The group’s president, Tencho Gyatso, emphasized the dire consequences of China’s actions, stating, “This boarding school program targets the most vulnerable and impressionable minds and is aimed at converting Tibetans into Chinese, cementing the Chinese government’s control over Tibet and annihilating the Tibetan culture and way of life.”

As international pressure mounts against these egregious practices, the move by the United States serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving human rights and cultural identities in the face of oppressive assimilation policies.