Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps the Government is taking with the Chinese Government to help (a) secure the release of Tibetan political prisoners, (b) ensure access by independent observers to Tibet and (c) protect the human rights of the Tibetan people.

We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) including restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, and restrictions on freedom of assembly and association.

We consistently urge China to respect all fundamental rights across the People's Republic of China, including in Tibet, in line with both its own constitution and the international frameworks to which it is a party. We believe that long-term stability in Tibet will be best achieved through respect for universal human rights and genuine autonomy for Tibet within the framework of the Chinese constitution. Meaningful dialogue is the best way to address and resolve the underlying grievances and we continue to urge all sides to restart talks.

Further, the UK is active in raising Tibet in multilateral fora. We made a statement at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2018 where we reiterated our concerns over restrictions on civil and political freedoms, particularly minority rights, and freedom of religion in China, including Tibet. Additionally, we asked an advanced question about Tibet at China’s last Universal Periodic Review, and included our concerns in our statement.

We are also aware of, and concerned by, reports of the apparent increasing isolation of TAR through restrictions on foreign tourists, journalists and officials (including those representing the UN and EU) seeking to visit TAR. To this end, we are monitoring the progress and impact of the US Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, including through discussions with our US counterparts