Dalai Lama: Tibet wants to stay with China, wants development

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Thursday that Tibet does not seek independence from China but wants greater development. He made the above comment at an interactive session organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, reports The Indian Express. He said China and Tibet enjoyed a close relationship even though there were occasional “fights.” Dalai Lama said: “The past is past. We will have to look into the future. “We are not seeking independence... We want to stay with China. We want more development.” However, he also said China must respect the Tibetans’ culture and heritage. “Tibet has a different culture and a different script... The Chinese people love their own country. We love our own country,” he added. He mentioned that no Chinese “understand[s] what had happened in the last few decades,” and the country had changed over the years. He further added: “With China joining the world, it has changed 40% to 50% of what it was earlier.”