| While most of the world is familiar with the | | | | |
| Dalai Lama in regards to his position within | | | | In June 2007, envoys from the Dalai Lama once |
| Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama and China | | | | again entered China with hopes to settle some |
| are also issues that make this man famous. | | | | of the issues between the country and the |
| | | | Dalai Lama - who insists that he does not |
| The current Dalai Lama, who is the 14th in | | | | want independence for Tibet, rather he just |
| succession to hold this position, has been in | | | | wants more autonomy and power over the |
| exile from his home country of Tibet for many | | | | region's own decisions. China still views the |
| years. In 1949, the People's Republic of | | | | Dalai Lama as a separatist even with his |
| China invaded the nearby small country of | | | | protests of not wanting independence. China |
| Tibet, and claimed the country for their own. | | | | also states that they have greatly improved |
| Tibet fought back, and unfortunately, was not | | | | the quality of life in the Tibetan region |
| able to get rid of the invading Chinese. In | | | | since the exile of the Dalai Lama. |
| 1959, the Dalai Lama, along with 100,000 | | | | |
| other Buddhist Tibetans, were forced into | | | | Spiritual leaders have warned China that if |
| exile after a failed attempt to remove | | | | the issue of Tibet's independence, or at |
| Communist power. This community now lives in | | | | least a lessening of the strict rules on the |
| Dharamsala, India. | | | | region, is not resolved during this Dalai |
| | | | Lama's lifetime, there will be dire |
| Relations between the Dalai Lama and China | | | | consequences. The idea of the Dalai Lama |
| have always been tense - with the Communist | | | | dying while in exile and not within his |
| power of China being against Buddhism as well | | | | homeland of Tibet would mean a radicalization |
| as religion in general. Dating back to 1979, | | | | of exiled Tibetan youth who are already |
| Chinese leaders have invited the Dalai Lama | | | | searching for a way to make an impact. |
| to speak with them in closed-door talks - but | | | | |
| only about "anything but independence" for | | | | While the Dalai Lama is known for compassion, |
| Tibet. As independence is what most Tibetans | | | | as is the religion of Buddhism, it is hard to |
| hope for, this left little to be said between | | | | believe that compassion will change the |
| the Dalai Lama and China. Even so, the Dalai | | | | relationship between the Dalai Lama and |
| Lama's envoys made 15 separate trips to China | | | | China. More political talks will need to take |
| up until the year 1994, when talks were | | | | place in order to come to an agreement. |
| suspended due to lack of progress. | | | | |