US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Norris has reaffirmed that Tibet is part of China and the United States does not support "Tibetan independence." He made the remark while meeting with a delegation from China's National People's Congress on Monday. The members of the delegation are all Tibetan NPC deputies.

Living Buddha Shingtsa Tenzinchodrak, a deputy to the NPC, makes a toast at a banquet in Washington yesterday. [Xinhua]

The five-member delegation was led by Shingtsa Tenzinchodrak, a living Buddha. He's also vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

During the meeting with officials from the US Department of State, Tenzinchodrak talked about religious freedom in Tibet. He said freedom of religious belief is written in the Chinese Constitution. He said that Tibet now has more than 17-hundred religious sites, with about 46-thousand monks and nuns.

In response to questions about the March 14th riots in Lhasa last year, Tenzinchodrak said the incident was by no means a "peaceful protest." He noted that at least 18 civilians were killed and many houses and stores were burned.

John Norris said the US government's stance on the Tibet issue has been consistent. The US acknowledges that Tibet is an inalienable part of China and it does not support Tibetan independence.

The delegation also held talks with representatives from the US-Asia Institute, a non-governmental organization dedicated to fostering understanding and ties between the US and Asian countries.

Tenzinchodrak said the Chinese government's policy towards the Dalai Lama has been consistent. As long as the Dalai Lama gives up separatist activities, the central government is willing to have contact with his envoys.

The US-China Institute has arranged for many US congressional delegations to visit China over the past years. The institute's president, Benjamin Wu said the talks offered an opportunity for both sides to advance mutual understanding. Senate Republican chief economist Jeffrey Wrase was also invited by the Institute to join the talks.

The delegation also had separate meetings with research fellows and assistants of the U.S. Congress on Monday. The deputies answered questions about environmental protection in Tibet.

On Sunday, the delegation met with representatives of the Tibetan community in the US. Tenzinchodrak said Tibet's economic development has been rapid and stable in recent years, and its social progress has been advancing in all fields.

(CCTV March 18, 2009)