⁍ The United States appointed a senior human rights official as special coordinator for Tibetan issues.

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⁍ China has consistently refused to deal with the U.S. coordinator, seeing it as interference in its internal affairs.

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⁍ The appointment comes at a time when U.S.-China relations have sunk to the lowest point in decades over a range of issues.

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– China is accusing the US of trying to destabilise Tibet after the Trump administration appointed a senior human rights official as its new special coordinator for Tibetan issues. China “strongly opposes” the appointment of Robert Destro, who will “lead US efforts to promote dialogue between the People’s Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives; protect the unique religious, cultural, and linguistic identity of Tibetans; and press for their human rights to be respected,” a foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday, per Reuters. “Tibet affairs are China’s internal affairs that allow no foreign interference,” he added. “The setting up of the so-called coordinator for Tibetan issues is entirely out of political manipulation to interfere in China’s internal affairs and destabilise Tibet.”