World Parliamentarian Conference Tibet – Japan

6 June 2025 – Parliamentarians from 29 countries, together with critics of the democracy and human rights situation under the Chinese Communist Party, reaffirmed their determination on 4 June to build global solidarity with Tibet, counter the influence of the Chinese government, and promote coordinated legislative efforts during their two-day meeting in the parliament building in Tokyo. To this end, the 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet (WPCT) adopted three important documents: a Tokyo Declaration, a Tokyo Action Plan, and a Resolution celebrating the legacy of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday.

During the second day of the conference, themed “Building Global Solidarity for Tibet and Countering China’s Influence,” speakers included: Wang Dai, Vice Chairman of the Federation for a Democratic China; Afumetto Retepu, Chairman of the Japanese Uyghur Association; Olhonud Daichin, Vice Chairman of the Southern Mongolian Congress; Alric Lee, co-founder of Lady Liberty Hong Kong; and Lin Hsin Yi, a prominent Taiwanese human rights activist. The session “Pragmatic Solutions for Tibet: What Parliaments Worldwide Can Do” was chaired by Els Van Hoof, a Belgian parliamentarian. Speakers under this theme included: Hannes Heide, Member of the European Parliament from Austria and Vice-Chair of the European Parliamentary Friendship Group for Tibet; Watanabe Shu, member of the Japanese House of Representatives; and Vlado Mirosevic Verdugo, member of the Chamber of Deputies in Chile.

There was also a session on the “Resolve Tibet Act and the Way Forward,” chaired by Simon O’Connor, former parliamentarian from New Zealand and former co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC). Speakers included: Arif Virani, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; Sujeet Kumar, Indian parliamentarian and former coordinator of the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT); and Pavel Žáček, Chairman of the Security Committee and member of the Czech Chamber of Deputies. Additionally, video messages were shown from various prominent international leaders, including: Vladimir Ledecky (MP), former President Andrej Kiska, and MP Tomas Valasek from Slovakia; MP Nicolas Walder and MP Balthasar Glättli from Switzerland; Fan Yun and Chiu Chih-Wei, both members of the Legislative Yuan in Taiwan; Ross Greer, member of the Scottish Parliament; Salvador Caro Cabrera, former representative from Mexico; Ferenc Gelencser, Hungarian parliamentarian; and Senator Dean Smith from Australia.

The WPC conferences have been organized since 1994 by the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, each time in a different country, with support from local Tibet support groups. The goal is to strengthen and better coordinate international parliamentary support for the Tibetan cause. The main objectives are to stimulate global parliamentary commitment to the preservation of Tibetan identity and culture, to address human rights violations and religious oppression in Tibet, and to promote renewed dialogue with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

(Source: Tibet.net, 5 June 2025)