For Politburo member Jia Qinglin, China must renew its efforts against the Dalai Lama’s influence in Tibet. Beijing fears more protests in the territory.

 Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China’s government should renew its efforts against the influence of the Dalai Lama in Tibet. It should also improve the standards of living of Tibetans to make Tibet safer for China, said Jia Qinglin, a member of the standing committee of the Chinese Communist Party's powerful politburo, at a two-day meeting to discuss developments in Tibet and in other provinces with strong Tibetan presence.

Whilst initiatives that ensure stability should be "circumspectly deployed, [. . .] the fight against the Dalai Lama clique must be continued and deepened," he said in a not-so-veiled reference to the 2008 anti-Chinese unrest in Tibetan cities, which Chinese authorities blame on the Buddhist leader.

The Dalai Lama has lived in exile in Dharamsala (India) since 1959. He fled his homeland after Mao’s soldiers crushed a popular uprising. Since then, Beijing has vilified the Nobel Prize winner, treating him as a dangerous separatist.

China's Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu was also present at the meeting. His presence suggests that Beijing's control in Tibet is a major issue and that the authorities expect more violence and thus are preparing to pin the blame on the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile for what happens.

• tibet
• china
• unrest
• dalai
• lama
• blame
• game
• violence
• crackdown
• 2008