Washington D.C.: Recognising the strategic importance of engaging with think tanks specialising in China studies, Sikyong Penpa Tsering undertook a series of high-level interactions on 30 January 2026 aimed at advancing a deeper understanding of the People’s Republic of China. Such engagements are particularly critical at a time when Beijing continues to shape global narratives through systematic disinformation.

Countering the Chinese government’s persistent use of disinformation to delegitimise the Tibetan struggle, obscure ongoing human rights violations inside Tibet, and preemptively influence international opinion on significant issues, including the succession of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama remains imperative.

In this context, the importance of credible documentation, fact-based advocacy, and rigorous scholarly works was underscored. Works such as Professor Hon-Shiang Lau’s Tibet Was Never Part of China Since Antiquity, grounded in imperial Chinese historical records and archival sources, were highlighted as particularly vital in challenging Beijing’s manufactured narratives and reaffirming historical truth at a critical juncture.

Accompanied by Representative Namgyal Choedup of the Office of Tibet, Washington DC, Sikyong also held a detailed briefing with Ryan Fioresi, Executive Director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) U.S., along with other ICT staff, during which discussions focused on coordinated advocacy strategies, targeted lobbying initiatives, and policy advisories.

The day’s engagements concluded with meetings with Bob Ankerson, President of The Tibet Fund and subsequently with Anjali Kaur, both aimed at strengthening institutional capacity.