President Joe Biden has signed into law a bill which enhances US support for Tibet and promotes dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama toward a peaceful resolution of the dispute over the status and governance of the remote Himalayan region. “Today, I have signed into law S 138, the ‘Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act’. I share the Congress’s bipartisan commitment to advancing the human rights of Tibetans and supporting efforts to preserve their distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage,” Biden said on Friday in a late-night statement.

“My Administration will continue to call on the People’s Republic of China to resume direct dialogue, without preconditions, with the Dalai Lama, or his representatives, to seek a settlement that resolves differences and leads to a negotiated agreement on Tibet.” He continued.  From 2002 to 2010, the Dalai Lama’s representatives and the Chinese government held nine rounds of dialogue that did not produce any concrete outcome. China views the 89-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader, who is based in India, as a ‘separatist’ who is working to split Tibet from the rest of the country.