US' Tibet act 'disregards the facts'

China has expressed firm opposition to the United States signing into law the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act of 2018.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said yesterday that it was a gross interference in China’s domestic affairs and sent a seriously wrong message to “Tibetan independence” forces.

Hua also confirmed police had imposed an administrative penalty on a Canadian citizen for working illegally in China.

Hua said US Tibet act had seriously violated the basic norms of international relations and was gravely harmful to communication and cooperation between China and the US.

Stressing that Tibet’s affairs are purely China’s domestic affairs and allow no interference from other countries, she said Tibet and Tibetan areas in the other four regions are open to people from around the world.

Since 2015, visitors to Tibet and these regions from the US alone totaled nearly 40,000, she said.

Taking into consideration Tibet’s special geographic and climatic conditions, the Chinese government has taken certain administrative measures in accordance with the laws and regulations that apply to foreigners who enter Tibet, which are totally necessary and justified.

“The act’s accusations against China disregard the facts and are full of prejudice, and completely unacceptable by the Chinese side,” said Hua.

She warned that if the US side took actions according to the act, it would definitely cause serious damage to bilateral relations as well as bilateral exchanges and cooperation in key fields. China will take strong measures to resolutely safeguard its own interests.

“China’s door to the outside world will open wider and wider, so will Tibet’s,” she said. “China welcomes more foreigners to visit, travel and do business in China’s Tibetan areas.”

China urges the US to fully recognize the high sensitivity of the Tibet issue, stop using the Tibet issue to interfere in China’s domestic affairs, and not to implement the act, otherwise, the US side will take full responsibilities for the consequences, she said.

Elsewhere, Hua confirmed that Sarah Mciver, an English teacher from Canada, had been detained in China several days ago. She said relevant police authorities should be contacted for details about the Mciver case.

“What I can tell you is that China and Canada have kept smooth communication on consular affairs and China will provide necessary assistance to Canada for its performance of consular duties,” said Hua.

The Chinese authorities have previously taken coercive measures in accordance with the law against two Canadian nationals, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, she said. They are suspected of engaging in activities that endanger China’s national security.

Former diplomat Kovrig and business consultant Spavor were detained on December 10 and are being investigated by the Beijing Bureau of State Security and the state security bureau of Dandong City in Liaoning Province respectively.