- Title: JAPAN: Dalai Lama sees next area for reform in China is political.
- Date: 5th November 2012
- Summary: YOKOHAMA, JAPAN (NOVEMBER 5, 2012) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) DALAI LAMA WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE DALAI LAMA GREETING JOURNALISTS MAN TAKING PHOTO OF DALAI LAMA NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER, THE DALAI LAMA, SAYING: "Now Hu Jintao's era past, now Xi Jinping coming president. I think there's no alternative except some political change, so political reform. Economy reform already there, so lot of sort of development. So that's also brought some good things." DALAI LAMA SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS MORE OF DALAI LAMA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER, THE DALAI LAMA, SAYING: "And using force brings suspicion, fear. That's just opposite of the harmony. So the goal, harmony, wonderful. Stability, wonderful. But method, use secrecy, censorship and bully." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER, THE DALAI LAMA, SAYING: "More democratic principles, then many issues can solve, at least reduce these problems. So this issue with the islands, I think can be much easier to deal." CAMERA PERSON FILMING DALAI LAMA (SOUNDBITE) (English) TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER, THE DALAI LAMA, SAYING: "Chinese people must love their country, their nation but go extreme. Almost like in the whole sort of planet Chinese culture is best, Chinese language is best language, China nation is the best. That sort of extreme view is not good. When we were in Tibet we also had that sort of feeling. Oh Tibet is the best sort of nation, that sort of thing. It's wrong." PEOPLE CLAPPING FOR DALAI LAMA
- Embargoed: 20th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: International Relations,Religion,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVADR86SLXA9UCCEGX188Q107HV8
- Story Text: Tibet's Spiritual Leader, the Dalai Lama says next avenue of reform for China is political.
The Dalai Lama said on Monday (November 5) the only place left for China to reform was it's politics, as the country prepares for a leadership later in the week.
The 77-year-old exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said with China already reforming its economy, expected incoming president Xi Jinping would likely have to embark on some sort of political reform to leave his mark.
"Now Hu Jintao's era past, now Xi Jinping coming president. I think there's no alternative except some political change, so political reform. Economy reform already there, so lot of sort of development. So that's also brought some good things," he said.
Xi's ascent to leadership is likely to be approved at a Communist Party congress that starts this week on November 8.
While the Dalai Lama said that good things have come from China's economic revolution, their methods toward creating a "Harmonious Society" have been flawed.
"And using force brings suspicion, fear. That's just opposite of the harmony. So the goal, harmony, wonderful. Stability, wonderful. But method, use secrecy, censorship and bully," the Dalai Lama said.
He expressed his hope that if China becomes more democratic, then it would also help resolve issues with its neighbours as well such as the ongoing dispute between China and Japan over a group of islands claimed by both countries called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.
"More democratic principles, then many issues can solve, at least reduce these problems. So this issue with the islands, I think can be much easier to deal," he said.
The Dalai Lama said that one of the possible reasons why the current spat over the islands has become so extreme is that education has become too nationalistic.
"Chinese people must love their country, their nation, but go extreme. Almost like in the whole sort of planet Chinese culture is best, Chinese language is best language, China nation is the best. That sort of extreme view is not good. When we were in Tibet we also had that sort of feeling. Oh Tibet is the best sort of nation, that sort of thing. It's wrong," he said.
Beijing has accused the Dalai Lama of seeking independence and inciting violence in Tibet. The Dalai Lama has said he wants meaningful autonomy for the mountain region. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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