'Tibet is China’s palm, Ladakh to Arunachal its fingers': Exiled Tibetan PM warns Delhi

China views Tibet as the “palm” and its surrounding regions as “five fingers” to be controlled, former Tibetan Prime Minister in exile Lobsang Sangay has said, warning that Beijing’s expansionist policy continues to target Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

In an interview with ANI, Sangay said Chinese President Xi Jinping has reinforced the so-called “five-finger strategy” by tightening Beijing’s grip on Tibet for its vast mineral resources. “Even the late Panchen Lama said China has benefited more from Tibet than Tibetans have,” Sangay noted.

He praised the Indian Army for resisting Chinese incursions along the border, adding, “They’re in Doklam, in Galwan, Ladakh, in Sikkim, and Bhutan. And in Arunachal, every week, they try to get the upper hand.”

According to Sangay, Tibet’s development since the 1950s has primarily benefited Chinese migrants rather than Tibetans. “Licenses for businesses, even for small stalls, are given first to Chinese. Migrants dominate the urban economy in summer, leaving Tibetans with fewer opportunities,” he said.

Highlighting Tibet’s economic significance, Sangay pointed to its vast reserves of minerals critical to China’s industrial ambitions. “Seventy-five per cent of China’s lithium reserve is in Tibet. It has uranium, gold, copper—the second largest copper mine in China is there. In total, 136 types of minerals, worth trillions, are being exploited by China,” he said.

On Tibet’s political demand, Sangay reaffirmed the “middle way approach”—seeking genuine autonomy under Chinese rule. But he admitted optimism is fading. “The experience of the last 30 years indicates dialogue with China is very difficult. They are not in the mood to have a dialogue with anybody. They are in a mood to take from everybody.”

The China-Tibet issue has remained unresolved since Beijing’s military annexation in 1949, with Tibetans in exile continuing to push for self-determination.