SYDNEY: A six-member Tibetan Parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Penpa Tsering is on a visit to Australia. Other members in the delegation are Thupten Lungrig, Geshe Namdak Tsukphue, Sonam Gyaltsen.

Representative Lhakpa Tshoko and members of the Tibetan community in Australia welcomed the delegation on its arrival in Sydney on Saturday (23 August).

Speaker Penpa Tsering gave a public talk to the Tibetan community in Sydney on 23 August. He spoke on the need to maintain social harmony, consolidate and strengthen unity among Tibetans for the cause of Tibet.

Other members of the delegation spoke on Middle Way Approach, the current situation inside Tibet, preservation of religion and culture and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile’s position on Dolgyal issue.

Later at a dinner reception, the delegation exchanged views the status of and harmony among Tibetans in Australia and ways to foster Sino-Tibetan harmony.

The parliamentary delegation attended a meeting with Chinese scholars, members of Tibet support groups and Tibetans in Sydney on 24 August. The meeting was presided over by Feng Chong Yi, a professor of political science at a university in western Australia.

Speaking at the meeting, Leng Mei, President of the Tibetan-Chinese Friendship Association, spoke on the historical ties between Tibet and China and expressed apology for the atrocities against the Tibetan people by the Chinese communists. Leng expressed support for the Middle Way Approach proposed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to resolve the issue of Tibet and emphasized the need to raise the Chinese people’s awareness about this policy.

In his address, Mr Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, spoke on the historical relations between Tibet and China, the current situation inside Tibet, and the way forward to resolve the issue of Tibet through Middle Way Approach.

He spoke the impact of Tibet’s environment on billions of people across Asia as many of the major rivers on which survive originate from the Tibetan plateau.

During the question answer, the Chinese participants expressed a common view that Middle Way Approach is the most viable means to resolve the problem of Tibet and their commitment to support it.

They said the protection of culture and religion of Tibet would benefit not only Tibetans but the whole world.

The Office of Tibet organised logistics and interpreters, including the Chinese liaison officer, at the meeting.