The head of the Tibetan government in exile, Penpa Tsering, has expressed hope that Tibetans and Taiwanese can strengthen mutual ties.

“There are many aspects in which we can work together,” Penpa Tsering, who took office as president of the Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamshala, India in May, told CNA in an interview on Oct. 4 during a three-day trip to Delhi.

“We still have to find and understand how we can work together, how we can collaborate on issues other than politics. Not necessarily only politics … So I’m really looking forward to strengthening our relationship in the future,” he added.

He expressed hope that the Taiwanese government can provide scholarships to Tibetan students in order to foster more exchanges between Taiwanese and Tibetans.

Taiwan is a good place for Tibetans to learn the Chinese language and study international relations, Penpa Tsering said, adding the island can serve as a window into understanding China.

While stressing that resolving the problems between Tibet and China remains his priority during his tenure, Penpa Tsering also called for dialogue between the Chinese authorities and their Taiwanese counterparts.

“There should be no use of force [in] Taiwan,” Penpa Tsering said, adding that resorting to violence will not be beneficial for either Chinese or Taiwanese, but can even escalate into a world war if more powers get involved.

“Any conflict can be resolved through negotiations or non-violent means,” he argued.

Meanwhile, Penpa Tsering said the Dalai Lama currently does not have plans to travel because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asked if the Dalai Lama would like to visit Taiwan after the pandemic wanes, the official did not provide a definite answer.

The issue “will depend on what kind of invitation comes from Taiwan and how negotiations are [conducted] between the Taiwanese government and us,” he added.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel