CHINA-TIBET
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China organised its first-ever large-scale international conference called the "2014 Forum on the Development of Tibet’" in Lhasa on August 12-13, 2014. It was attended by over 100 delegates including 40 foreign delegates. Its themes were: "The Development of Tibet: Opportunities and Alternatives" with "Sustainable Development," "Inheritance and Protection of Tibetan Culture," and "Ecological and Environmental Protection" as sub-themes. On August 14, the conference produced an 8 article ‘Lhasa Consensus’. Article 7 of the Lhasa Consensus attacked both the Dalai Lama and international media coverage of
Tibet. It stated that: “Participants unanimously agree that what they have actually seen in Tibet differs
radically from what the 14th Dalai [Lama] and the Dalai clique have said. The Dalai clique's
statements on Tibet are distorted and incorrect... Many Western media reports are biased and
have led to much misunderstanding.”
The Lhasa Consensus has generated some controversy with Sir Bob Parker, the former Mayor
of Christchurch, New Zealand, who is still travelling in Tibet replied to a question in a blog saying: “Not at all. I'm aware that the statement was
made but I certainly haven't signed up to it. I think a number of people who were there were a little
surprised to hear about that statement.” (http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-28804216).
Foreign participants at the Lhasa conference included UK Labour Party politician Lord Davidson of Glen Clova, with the Labour Party saying he was on "a private visit"; Pat Breen, Chairman of the Irish Parliament Joint Committee of Foreign Affairs & Trade; Robert John Parker, Chairman of Huaxin International Ltd from New Zealand; Kondo Shoichi, Secretary General of the Nonpartisan Sino-Japan Friendship Parliamentarians' Union and former Japanese Senior Vice Minister of the Environment; Bob Parker, former Mayor of Christchurch, New Zealand; N. Ram, Chairman and Publisher of the Hindu Group of Newspapers; and Kulasri Kariyawasam, Secretary of the Sri Lanka China Social and Cultural Cooperation.
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