A new attempt to undermine the Dalai Lama's status as religious leader of Tibet appears to be under way, with mainland officials and media issuing unusually strong criticism of him.
Tibet watchers appear surprised by the severity of the campaign, especially as it comes at a time when the central government is engaged in quiet negotiations with representatives of the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan religious leader fled his homeland 47 years ago, setting up his government in exile in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala.
'It's a major policy shift,' said Robbie Barnett, professor of Contemporary Tibetan Studies at Columbia University.
But he said the policy was 'logical' from a Chinese point of view. 'Even if it seems paradoxical, it could be in Beijing's interests to malign the Dalai Lama at the same time as claiming to negotiate with him - the attacks weaken his standing with his base and they could put pressure on him to make yet more concessions,' he said.
The attacks, which he said were related to the party's anger over the Dalai Lama's continued hold over Tibetans, had been co-ordinated across the spectrum of the state media, Professor Barnett said, including the People's Daily, Xinhua, the English-language China Daily and the Tibet Daily. The campaign 'clearly has high-level central endorsement'.
Kate Saunders, of the International Campaign for Tibet, said: 'The leadership of the Tibetan Autonomous Region is showing high levels of hostility to the Dalai Lama, not to mention seeking to undermine his credibility as a religious leader. There is no doubt that this approach has the support of the party elite.'