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A panel discussion with Tibetan activists on their analysis of China's growing interference in Australia and the UK was held on January 23, reported a pro-Tibet group named Global Alliance For Tibet and Persecuted Minorities (GMPM) citing Radio Free Asia (RFA) Tibetan language service.
The two prominent activists - Kyinzom Dhongdue from Australia and London-based Tsering Passang call on the Tibetans in diasporas to engage proactively and challenge the Chinese regime. Kyinzom Dhongdue is the first Tibetan-Australian to run for public office in Australia and she wants to run for a Senate seat in Australia's Upper House of Parliament. Dhongdue hopes that her candidacy would bring more attention to Tibet's struggle from across the continent of Australia. She admitted that her chances of obtaining a seat in the next election are poor, but she is grateful for the great support she has received from her own community and others. She also stated that her political campaign is only getting started and asked for everyone's support in her New South Wales constituency. Notably, Kyinzom Dhongdue is a former Tibetan MP who represented the Tibetans living in the Australasia region from 2015 to 2020 at their parliament in Dharamsala, the headquarters of the Central Tibetan Administration (de facto Tibetan Government-in-exile). Another Tibetan activist, Tsering Passang a former Director of Tibet Foundation and the Founder and Chairman of the GATPM also suggested that Tibetans strengthen ties with other persecuted groups, such as those from Hong Kong, and challenge the CCP regime as a whole. He stated that the Tibetans came into exile in 1959 with the intention of fighting back and that this should not be overlooked. He further says that Britain's spy agency, MI5 warning to the UK lawmakers of a woman linked to the Chinese Communist Party, and her work to influence the political process of the country by establishing links with Parliamentarians, is a possible tactic by the UK to disrupt ongoing activities of the individual. Earlier, MI5 issued an "interference alert" that Christine Ching Kui Lee has "acted covertly in coordination" with the United Front Work Department (UFWD), of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and is "judged to be involved in political interference activities in the Lee has also been facilitating "financial donations to political parties, Parliamentarians, aspiring Parliamentarians and individuals seeking political office in the UK, including facilitating donations to political entities on behalf of foreign nationals." MI5 alerts Christine Lee's interference in the UK Parliament with donations of over 400,000 made to the Labour MP Barry Gardiner. According to Passang, the MI5 has succeeded in invoking the formulation of relevant laws by the government for considerably stronger restrictions over foreign donations to purchase influence. The purchase of power concerns national security and MI5 has correctly expressed this worry at the highest level. In addition, such law would give responsible authorities legal authority to take necessary action against foreign agents in order to defend national security. He also called on the Tibetan Buddhist leaders to condemn the Chinese authorities for demolishing Buddhist statues and forcing monks and nuns out of their monasteries in eastern Tibet late last year. Pasang indicated that the UK has a tough stance against China by making reference to the 2021 Integrated Review vis-a-vis UK National Security and Foreign Policy. (ANI)
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