China's Tibetan legislators visit U.S. to enhance mutual understanding

A delegation of China's Tibetan legislators visited Washington D.C., Colorado and Illinois on April 19-24 to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.

The delegation was headed by Qizhala, deputy to China's National People's Congress (NPC) and secretary of the CPC (Communist Party of China) Lhasa Municipal Committee.

During the trip, the legislators met and exchanged views with people from all walks of life in the United States, briefed them on the economic and social developments in Tibet and answered questions.

In Colorado, the delegation met with Colorado State Senate President Bill Cadman, Mayor of Boulder City Suzanne Jones and Denver Vice Mayor Don Mares, separately.

In Illinois, they met with U.S. Representative Danny Davis, Chicago Vice Mayor Steve Koch, visited the officie of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, among others.

Qizhala said during the meetings that China and the United States are countries of big influence in the world, and the visit is a journey of friendship, aiming to implement the consensus Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama have reached, promote understanding and consolidate cooperation between the two countries.

Qizhala stressed that Tibet has always been part of China, and there is no basis for so-called "Tibet issue" as claimed by the 14th Dalai Lama and his group.

He said the Tibet Autonomous Region is currently a picture of economic growth, harmony and happiness. 2016 is the start year of China's "13th Five Year Plan," and Tibetan people will work hard together with all Chinese people to ensure the target of building China into a well-off society in 2020, he added.

The U.S. officials said that the U.S.-China relationship is the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century.

The United States accords great importance to its relations with China, and is willing to strengthen exchanges with all Chinese provinces and autonomous regions including Tibet, and deepen the cooperation in all fields between the two countries, they said.

They believed the delegation's briefing of Tibet and the achievements Tibet has made are impressive, and expressed the hope for more such exchanges in the future.

Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and Boulder City in the State Colorado became sister cities in 1987.

The delegation also visited the Center for East Asia Studies at the University of Chicago and the Center for Asian Studies of the University of Colorado at Boulder, where they exchanged views with experts and scholars.

In Washington D.C. and Chicago, the delegation held discussions with Tibetans living in the United States, and briefed them on the poverty relief efforts, education and environment protection in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Endi