Using ‘Xizang’ against Tibetan historical sovereignty, says President of Tibetan Government-in-exile

Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the President of the Tibetan Government In-Exile said on Thursday that the usage of the term ‘Xizang’ instead of Tibet showcases that people are falling for Chinese propaganda and becoming complicit in China’s narrative on Tibetan territory and Tibetan historical sovereignty.

In an interview with ANI, at the headquarters of the Tibetan government in-exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering said that the word ‘Xizang’ is being used despite the request not to use the word Xizang because that means one is “playing into the hands of propaganda of the Chinese government”.

He further added that by using the term ‘Xizang’ instead of ‘Tibet’, “The Chinese interpretation of using Xizang is refers to Tibet only as the Tibetan autonomous region not beyond those areas. The Tibet autonomous region is only half of Tibet, so if you fall into this trap of using Xizang , then you are very much being complicit in China’s narrative on Tibetan territory as well as Tibetan historical sovereignty.”

The recent earthquake in Tibet has raked up the issue of China using the term ‘Xizang’ instead of Tibet.

An earthquake jolted a remote region of Tibet on January 7, killing at least 126 people and injuring over 100 others, with tremors felt in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern India, Al Jazeera reported. The earthquake was followed by 49 aftershocks.

The epicentre of the quake was Shigatse, one of the holiest cities of Tibet, as per Al Jazeera. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, while the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) recorded a magnitude of 6.8.

Earlier, hundreds of Tibetans in exile gathered in Dharamshala to mourn and offer special prayers for the whole night for the victims of the earthquake. Tibetan monks and nuns led the special prayers in the main Tibetan temple Tsuglagkhang, Dharamshala. The leading four Tibetan NGOs including the Tibetan Youth Congress, the Tibetan Women’s Association, the Student for Free Tibet and the National Democratic Party of Tibet, had jointly organised the special prayer service.