Chinese Survey Finds Interesting Tibetan Feelings on Obama and the Dalai Lama
As President Obama spends his first night in Beijing on Monday, an official Chinese government website (in Tibetan) on Tibet has an online poll where it has posed a series of six questions on President Obama and the Dalai Lama. The questions ranged from views on the US policy on Tibet to what should China do if President Obama meets the Dalai Lama after this current China visit. Interestingly, an overwhelming number of respondents have voted on those choices that are not the current position of the Chinese government, thus reflecting the fact that the Tibetan people have a different perspective. (This is more interesting in the light of the fact that the Chinese language version of the poll on the same website has respondents choosing positions that are closer to the official stand.) Since it is an official Chinese website it is accessible within China and Tibet and my assumption is that most of the respondents in both the languages are from there.
As this seems to be an ongoing poll for today, the numbers may have changed from those mentioned below when I saw it on Monday morning American time.
On the topical issue of feelings on “The Dalai not being able to meet Obama during his US Visit,” (a reference to President Obama and the Dalai Lama not meeting during the latter’s Washington, D.C., visit in October), 55 percent of the respondents have chosen the response b): ‘This is a foreign policy strategy by Obama,” while 37 percent have chosen a): “The Dalai Lama has become a desperate individual dependent on others.” Only 8 percent have chosen c): “Obama has respected China.”
On the view sought, “If Obama meets the Dalai after the visit to China,” only 4 percent chose a): “Totally Protest” while a vast majority of 87 percent chose b): “Suggest that the Chinese Government should pay great attention to this.” Nine percent of the respondents chose c): “No View.”
On seeking views on “What should China do if Obama meets Dalai” 91 percent of respondents have chosen c): “Need to conduct full exchange of views between the two sides.” Five percent have chosen a): “Need to stop it”, 2 percent have chosen b): “Totally protest” and 1 percent has chosen d): “No views.”
On the overall issue, “From your perspective, the Obama Administration’s policy on Tibetan issue is,” 66 percent of respondents have chosen b): “a possible slight shift” while 34 percent have chosen a): “Similar to that of other governments’ as developed through history.”
On the question, “Your views on the United States President Obama’s first visit to China,” 85 percent have chosen a): “Waiting eagerly” while 15 percent have chosen b): “No views.”
7 Responses to “Chinese Survey Finds Interesting Tibetan Feelings on Obama and the Dalai Lama”
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I think it might be emphasized that Tibet would make an indespensible autonomous buffer between China and India to reduce the border tensions they have been having. Tibet also should emphasize it’s traditional place sharing a combination of cultural influences from both of these ancient great cultures. The necessity of indigenous cultures to be protected and preserved for the cultural biodiversity of human culture on this jewel of life called Earth is indisputable. All indigenous cultures should be preserved as International Cultural Treasures. This kind of outlook and preservation would be very helpful for all of the Chinese ethnic minorities to protect them from excessive cultural encroachment and defuse tension swith the majority ethnic populations. The general US idea of a melting pot is not a good way to do this and lends itself to the interpretation of splitism as separtism when there is great need to consider the eastern vision of a wholistic system greater than the sum of it’s parts that nonetheless depends on the health of the uniques components of the whole system. This is like the yin-yang symbol. This is also a vision for the entire world and China could set an example for other countries around the world to integrate indigenous cultures without destroying them. Tibet as well should be utilized as a cultural brridge with India.
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The Chinese have responded previously by calling the Dalai Lama disparaging names, unacceptable behavior not suited to a so-called sovereign state and unworthy of reciprocal respect.
NOW with the WORLD WIDE WEB we are ALL connected. (HUMANITY ) The OLD ways our OUT. The Whole WORLD IS WATCHING . May God and the Buddha Bless Obama, Dalai Lama and even China as well, May they find a Middleway. (peacefully ) May ALL Beings Have Happiness.
It would seem from the above information that if Obama meets with the Dalai Lama 91% of respondents choose option (c) as being the best for China’s interests .
“Need to conduct full exchange of views between the two sides”
The results of the survey indicate that the majority of Chinese people would support a process of dialog between both sides, one which could be opened up by President Obama meeting with the Dalai Lama.
I just left one question out, which was similar to the question on views on what China should do if President Obama meets the Dalai Lama.
-Bhuchung
The few poll questions and choices you mentioned seem very interesting. That itself is an insight into how the China-sponsored pollsters view the Tibetan situation.
Can you post the entire list of questions and response choices in English?
Thank you.