In preparation for the 2026 G7 Summit in France from 14 to 16 June, the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) sent a letter to G7 Sherpas strongly urging them to explicitly reference Tibet in upcoming G7 discussions on China’s global role, foreign policy ambitions and adherence to international norms. Leveraging the role of the G7 sherpas as the personal representatives of the heads of government to coordinate policy positions ahead of G7 meetings,ICT lamented the G7’s omission of Tibet from its 2025 statements and stressed the importance of including Tibet in G7 talks.
ICT highlighted in the letter its recent report “Why Tibet”, which details the significance of Tibet as a key strategic concern in the region and how failing to include Tibet in security conversations risks shutting out critical avenues to address China’s growing authoritarian ambitions in the region and globally. Following the report’s recommendations, the letter proposes three key Tibet-related priorities for the G7 — Tibet’s geostrategic and security relevance; water, climate and regional stability; and human rights as a security indicator.
The letter also calls upon the G7 Sherpas to explicitly reference Tibet and its strategic importance to regional and global stability in current and future G7 Summit statements, linking Tibet to broader conversations on international security and norms and encouraging continued dialogue on developments in Tibet. ICT stressed that Tibetan issues are directly related to the stance of the G7 on international human rights standards, solidarity with communities facing systematic suppression and global security concerns and should be a main concern of the G7 in considering China and the region.
ICT highlights Tibet’s location at the heart of Asia, bordering India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar, and notes China’s extensive militarisation of the Tibetan Plateau. Military infrastructure and rapid troop deployment capabilities have contributed to tensions along the India-China border and have implications for Indo-Pacific security. ICT contends that repression in Tibet, including surveillance, forced relocations, and political indoctrination, supports China’s broader authoritarian governance model.
ICT also underscores Tibet’s environmental significance. As the source of major Asian rivers supporting nearly two billion people, the plateau is critical to regional water security. Large-scale dam and diversion projects, including a massive dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, raise concerns about ecological risks and transboundary stability.
Tibet is not an internal matter without international consequences. It is a strategic region which shapes security, stability, and rights well beyond China’s borders. Recognising this reality will strengthen the G7’s collective credibility and strategic foresight.
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