Dalai Lama is a Card Already Dealt

The Dalai Lama card is indeed depreciating deeply. This is the world of politics. It’s only a card, it’s been dealt, it’s depreciated. Just like a dish mop, it’s used, and it’s ready to be thrown away. Obama wants to implement strategies for wider cooperation with China. This is the mainstream. Of course, America and China are opposite sides in a chess game on many fronts, but the human rights card has really depreciated significantly. Right-wing America needs to think of a new card to play.

　

The Dalai Lama, who has been away from his home country for over 40 years, is just a card. Forty years is neither long nor short. What can be certain is that these 40 years has been a process of depreciation of the Dalai Lama card.

　

For Taiwan’s “88 Typhoon,” Chen Ju, a small potato as the mayor of Gaoxiong, thought of using the Dalai Lama card. The Dalai Lama was willing to be used by a small mayor from the green camp and went to Taiwan. However, many who were originally close to him either kept him at bay, or avoided him like the plague. The Dalai Lama was restricted everywhere he went. The prohibition on talking about politics – that’s a sign that this card has depreciated. During his visit to America this time, he was not granted with a meeting with Obama; this was a break from tradition. This is a further sign of the depreciation of the card. The time when the Dalai Lama card depreciates to zero is probably not far away. If you don’t believe it, just you wait.

　

As to a discussion on why the Dalai Lama card has depreciated, it may take a Ph.D. thesis. This little column can only touch on the topic.

The Dalai Lama Becomes the Dog without a Home

　

Originally, the Dalai Lama’s visit to America had a somewhat important “meaning.” The U.S. Congress is giving him a human rights award. Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, emphasized in the award ceremony that if America did not speak about human rights of Tibet with China, then it had no right to talk about human rights anywhere else in the world.

　

Not to talk about China’s human rights means a disqualification to talk about the world’s human rights. This fully elaborates the meaning of the Dalai Lama card. However, President Obama did not treat the Dalai Lama as such. He did as he promised about protecting China’s core interests on issues involving Tibet and Xinjiang when he met with President Hu Jintao earlier. One should say that this is the exact reason why Obama did not meet with the Dalai Lama this time.

　

Naturally, just as Pelosi has stated, not to talk about China’s human rights means that one has no right to talk about the world’s human rights. As long as the Dalai Lama lives, he symbolizes hostility against the Chinese people. Therefore, the U.S. Congress gave a high level reception to the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader, who failed to meet President Obama, and awarded him the Lantos Human Rights Prize. This prize was set up by the U.S. Congress to commemorate Lantos, America’s fighter for human rights and member of the House of Representatives who died in February last year. The Dalai Lama was the first recipient since the prize was set up.

All the Cards to Check and Balance China have Depreciated

　

Nevertheless, the international media are not interested in this prize at all; there is barely any mention of it. This cruel reality reflects a fundamental issue – the Dalai Lama card is indeed depreciating significantly. In the past, the value of human rights advocates who went to America from China has depreciated, and most of those who had their moments are now thinking about how to spend the rest of their lives in peace.

“Taiwan Independence” advocates, including Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian, have also had their value depreciate significantly. In the past, the “father of Taiwan independence” and the “son of Taiwan independence” were so arrogant that they took the “orders” from Americans stationed in Taiwan directly. But in the end they have ended up where they belong. And the many cards that once helped America check and balance China have all had their moments, but ended up being nothing, and all inevitably went through a tragic depreciation process.

　

This is the world of politics. It’s just a card. It’s been dealt, it’s depreciated. Just like a dish mop, once it’s used, it can be dumped.

　

Of course, the White House could not admit that Obama is bowing to China’s pressure, and said that President Obama did not refuse to meet the Dalai Lama, and that it was only a postponement. However, America’s media has revealed that American officials informed representatives of the Dalai Lama that America needs to work with China on many important topics, and does not wish to irritate Beijing.

　

In fact, it is a mainstream fact that Obama needs to implement strategies of wider cooperation with China. Indeed, America and China are still opponents in a chess game on many fronts. However, the human rights card has really depreciated significantly. America’s right-wing needs to think of some new cards to play.