US Senate pushes bipartisan bill to give Tibetan exile government UN observer status

A bipartisan Senate bill authored by Jeff Merkley and James Risch seeks to have the Trump administration advocate for the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government in exile, to obtain observer status at the United Nations and other international forums. The legislation labels the Tibet-China dispute as a matter of strategic interest to the United States and urges the government to encourage allies to interact with the exile administration at senior levels.

Merkley emphasized the need to protect human rights and dignity for Tibetans, while Risch framed the effort as a counter to China’s influence at the UN. The bill is co-sponsored by Tim Kaine, Todd Young, Jacky Rosen and Rick Scott, and comparable legislation has been introduced in the House by Jim McGovern and Michael McCaul. Although the bill’s passage is unclear, its introduction could add strain to U.S.-China relations before Xi Jinping’s planned Washington visit next month.