The US must stand with Tibet

07-18-2025

Writing in Foreign Affairs, political scientists Daryl Press and Jennifer Lind of Dartmouth College posit in “American Foreign Policy After Primacy — The ‘Prioritization’ Strategy,” that “The United States will be Asia-focused, and China-focused, for many years to come.”

They argue that the emerging “prioritization” strategy in U.S. foreign policy, particularly as implemented by the second Trump administration, marks a significant departure from the post-Cold War era of US global leadership. That era was characterized by a capacious and dominant U.S.-led liberal international order, which had prompted Madeline Albright, a former secretary of state, to assert that America was “an indispensable nation.”

But times have changed. Driven by the recognition of limited US resources and the rising threat from China, prioritization supporters argue for a tighter approach, focusing US efforts on countering China in the Indo-Pacific. This will necessitate European allies to take greater responsibility for their regional security. While controversial and facing significant challenges, the two Dartmouth political scientists argue that this shift is likely to be enduring, as the undercurrent or this reorientation have been present for over a decade.

While considering the transformative impact of the prioritization strategy in terms of military and economics, it is important to consider the internal socio-political dynamics in China, its domestic vulnerabilities. Sometimes, the smallest piece on the international chessboard — like a humble monk in exile, committed to peace and nonviolence — could change the entire game.

When the 14th Dalai Lama crossed the snowy Himalayas in 1959 into India, he was not merely escaping persecution — he was carrying with him the torch of a free Tibet. In exile, from the hill town of Dharamshala, he built not only a sanctuary for Tibetan culture but also a government-in-exile, the Central Tibetan Administration. Recently, the Dalai Lama celebrated his 90th birthday, vowing to preserve Tibetan culture. But Tibet remains under the tight control of one of the world’s most repressive regimes. China’s leadership is bent on extinguishing Tibet’s culture and language. As The Wall Street Journal reported recently, “China Steals Language and Home Life From Tibetan Kids as Young as 4.”

Tibet is more than a human rights cause. It is a strategic opportunity for the United States for foreign policy re-prioritization and a pivot to the Indo-Pacific. Standing for Tibetan freedom is not only a moral imperative but a potent geopolitical lever in countering China’s growing assertiveness in Asia that foreign affairs experts such as Lind and Press, and others, such as Deputy Defense Secretary for Policy, Elbridge Colby, need to consider.

Supporting Tibet can challenge the narrative of domestic harmony that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tries to project. The CCP relies on the myth of “national unity” to legitimize its rule. But the reality is different. Tibet is a restive region that reveals the fragility of the so-called “harmonious society.”

The US needs to combine its moral high ground with a strategic advantage. The US has long stood for the principles of freedom, democracy and human rights. Tibet offers a rare alignment of moral values and strategic interests. Supporting Tibet would signal that the U.S. is serious about countering authoritarian overreach — not just in Taiwan or the South China Sea, but in the very heart of Asia.

Tibet is China’s Achilles’ heel. Beijing reacts disproportionately to any mention of Tibetan rights or contact with the Dalai Lama. It’s because the Chinese leadership fears that even symbolic support could legitimize Tibetan claims to autonomy or sovereignty. This overreaction gives the U.S. leverage in diplomatic negotiations, to use the issue as pressure in broader strategic talks.

India has hosted the Dalai Lama for over six decades. Supporting the Tibetan cause could deepen the U.S.-India partnership, which is essential to the Indo-Pacific prioritization strategy. It would also create a convergence of interests on countering China’s influence across the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean. The U.S. and India could jointly support Tibetan cultural preservation, environmental monitoring and digital security initiatives for the diaspora.

Tibet reaps global sympathy. The Dalai Lama is one of the most recognizable spiritual leaders in the world. By backing Tibetan cultural and political rights, the U.S. can double down on its hard power to protect Taiwan. Playing the Tibet card, putting Taiwan and Tibet on the same platform, does not mean confrontation. It means persistent, principled pressure combined with strategic ambiguity.

But how to bell the cat? By elevating the status of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), and without recognizing full independence, the US can deepen official contacts with the CTA and fund its civil institutions through the State Department’s Tibet policy mechanisms. This includes education, health care and democratic governance programs in exile communities.

The US has already passed the Tibetan Policy and Support Act (2020), which affirms the Dalai Lama’s right to determine his successor without Chinese interference. Now is the time to enforce it robustly, possibly by coordinating with allies such as the EU, Japan, and Australia to create a joint declaration on Tibetan religious and cultural autonomy. The Trump administration should appoint a full-time Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues with ambassadorial rank. This would give the cause visibility and create a diplomatic channel to engage with the Tibetan diaspora and international partners.

The U.S. should support counter-disinformation campaigns that expose China’s false narrative on Tibetan history. The U.S. should work with democratic allies to raise Tibet inside forums, human rights panels, and environmental summits — especially focusing on the Himalayan ecosystem, now threatened by Chinese massive dam building and mining.

China’s fear of Tibet is deep-seated. China has invested billions into assimilating Tibet, building infrastructure and settling Han Chinese populations. This is not merely about controlling territory — it’s about controlling the narrative by decimating Tibet’s unique history and culture.

Supporting Tibet is a just cause and a smart strategy for the US’s prioritization paradigm shift and pivot to the Indo-Pacific. Most importantly, it offers the US a peaceful but powerful way to complicate China’s hegemonic ambitions. Tibet and Taiwan are the two sides of the same coin. Tibet offers a way to challenge China without firing a shot.

Narain Batra is the author of “India In A New Key: Nehru to Modi” and hosts the podcast America Unbound. He lives in Hartford.