While visiting the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee chairman and Politburo Standing Committee Member Yu Zhengsheng called on Tibetan religious leaders to “resist the influence of foreign forces.” Yu’s call comes months after President Xi Jinping himself warned of foreign infiltration through religion. “Foreign forces” with “ulterior motives” are often blamed for domestic unrest by officials, and were scapegoated by state media for attempting to foment a “color revolution” in China by training lawyers and activists detained in a widespread crackdown on rights advocacy last year. Several of those detained last year offeredconfessions about foreign training widely believed to be coerced during trials this month. [Source]
