US Appoints New Officer To Oversee Tibetan Issues And Scrutinise China’s Human Rights Violation

In a significant move, the Trump-led US administration has named a senior official to oversee Tibetan issues, reports Hindustan Times.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wednesday (14 October) appointed Robert Destro as the US’s new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Notably, the post had been vacant for almost four years since January 2017.

The development is a part of enhanced vigil by the US on China over its human rights record, including the use of forced labor among ethnic minorities.

“The United States remains concerned with the PRC’s repression of the Tibetan community, including the lack of meaningful autonomy, the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas, and severe restrictions on Tibetans’ religious freedom and cultural traditions within China,” Pompeo reportedly said in a statement, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

In the new role Destro, currently assistant secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, will be primarily responsible for advancing dialogue between Beijing and the Dalai Lama and protecting the religious, cultural and linguistic identity of Tibetans.

The long standing Tibetan issue has been a major irritant in US-China relationship. Earlier in July, the US administration had imposed travel restrictions on Chinese officials determined to be “substantially involved” in restricting access to Tibet.