Zhu Weiqun: In the past several years we have organized many groups of Tibetan scholars, officials and religious figures to go abroad. However, whenever they talk about the real situation in Tibet, some Europeans question and oppose what they say. I also want to say that for all China’s ethnic groups, the unity of the country is the highest goal, so the fact that my delegation doesn’t include any Tibetans doesn’t make it any less representative. As deputy executive director of the CPC Central Committee United Front Work Department, I don’t represent just the Tibetan ethnic group; I represent all 56 of China’s ethnic groups that together safeguard our country’s interests. I concur with your recommendation, and we will organize even more Tibetans to go abroad and discuss Tibet. I want to tell everyone I am just one of two vice ministers of the United Front Work Department dealing with Tibet work. The other is Sita. Tibetans comprise one third of the United Front Work Department staff dealing with Tibet work.

At present public opinion in the West leans heavily toward the Dalai Lama and away from us, and I think the reasons for this are complex. I admit that we have done too little to inform Western society about the true situation in Tibet, and our methods are in need of improvement. However, there is another reason, and you have in fact just mentioned it; Western public opinion is sometimes slanted. So people aren’t willing to admit that the CPC can succeed in ruling the country or that China can develop so quickly under the socialist system. Because they are looking at the world through colored glasses, some people are subjectively inclined to believe the Dalai Lama and not us. There’s nothing I can do to change the way such people think. All `I can do is let the facts speak for themselves, and let the facts of Tibet’s development and stability solve all questions. I believe that time is on our side.

I would like to let these two young scholars speak. Perhaps, several years from now, you will be the ones to make decisions for the European Union concerning China.

Question: The reason why the Dalai Lama can succeed in Europe is because his words strike an emotional chord with Europeans and they can understand him. By contrast, no matter what the Chinese government says they don’t really hear it. China needs to learn how to state its position in terms Europeans can understand. Europeans also need to set aside their prejudices and judge China with an open mind.

Zhu Weiqun: That’s a very good suggestion, and it shows that young people make objective judgments about world affairs. I think that after the Dalai Lama fled China in 1959, he devoted all his energy for several years to learning how to adapt to the way Westerners think and how to talk to Westerners, and he also got some coaching from Westerners in this area. This is one reason why he has had an influence in the West. However, there is in fact a more basic reason, there are political forces that support him. Some countries allocate him funds from their state treasuries on a regular schedule, and also funnel money to him through foundations, and help him to hold meetings all over the world where he gets donations from private individuals. The Dalai Lama clique itself reports that it raises more than 90% of its funds in Western countries. In judging what kind of person the Dalai Lama is, we need to take note of what he does and what he gives the Tibetan people, and compare that to what the Chinese government does in Tibet and what it gives to the Tibetan people. In a situation where people’s basic viewpoints on a question differ greatly, the best way to settle differences is to look at the facts. People who don’t respect the facts may well feel complacent for a while, but in the end they will come to grief.

Today, because I sit in the host’s seat and because I have a better grasp of information concerning Tibet, what I have said might have come across too forcefully. Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter. However, I invite all of you to come to Tibet if you have the opportunity and see things with your own eyes and make your own judgments on the basis of the facts you observe.