Tibet resumes back-channel talks with China

New Delhi, April 25

The Tibetan government-in-exile and China are holding back-channel talks, signalling willingness to re-engage after almost a decade when the formal dialogue process hit a dead-end following anti-China protests in Tibet and Beijing’s hardline approach towards Buddhist region.

News agency PTI reported that Sikyong, or political head of Tibet’s government-in-exile, Penpa Tsering confirmed holding informal talks and said his interlocutor had been dealing with “people in Beijing”, but there is no immediate expectation of a forward step. “We have been having back-channel talks since last year. But we have no immediate expectations,” Tsering was quoted as saying. He also insisted that the talks were “very informal”.