The French government has once again voiced its concern over China’s coercive boarding school system in Tibet, warning of the risks it poses to the preservation of Tibetan language and culture and to the rights of Tibetan children.
In a reply published on 27 January to two parliamentary questions tabled by Members of the National Assembly (the French Parliament’s lower chamber) Laurent Mazaury and Charles de Courson, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs stated that France is “deeply concerned” by the boarding school system imposed on Tibetan children. According to the government’s response, the system threatens “the transmission of Tibetan culture, language, and religion to new generations” and may violate fundamental children’s rights as protected under the Convention on the Rights of the Child – a treaty which China has ratified.
The reply also details France’s engagement on human rights in China and Tibet within multilateral forums, and its support for European Union initiatives addressing the issue.
Importantly, France also renewed its call for the resumption of dialogue between the Chinese authorities and the envoys of the Dalai Lama, which has been stalled since 2010. “More broadly, France calls for a resumption of dialogue […] in order to find a lasting solution that respects Tibetan culture and language,” the response concluded.
This is not the first time France has publicly addressed the issue of boarding schools in Tibet. In 2023, in response to a question tabled in the Senate, the government had already expressed concern about the impact of China’s education policies on Tibetan children. The latest reply therefore confirms that the situation of Tibetan children remains under continued scrutiny by French lawmakers and on the government’s human rights agenda.
Support Tibetans in their struggle for freedom by donating here!
