The US State Department recently released two reports shedding light on China’s harsh treatment in Tibet. The 2026 Report to Congress on Access to Tibetan Areas, mandated by the 2018 Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, highlighted China’s restrictions on journalists, diplomats, and tourists entering Tibet. It revealed that permits were required for travel to the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) in 2025, with foreign visitors facing intimidation by Chinese authorities.
The Access Report also noted that US consular officials visited TAR in September 2025, marking the first official visit since 2019. While foreigners need special permits to travel to TAR, US officials faced challenges in meeting local officials outside the region. The report highlighted ongoing restrictions on tourists and journalists entering Tibet, with most US journalists barred from the region and facing intimidation if they managed to report from there.
Moreover, US citizens with Tibetan heritage encounter stricter screenings when applying for permits, leading many Tibetan Americans to self-censor their actions in the US due to concerns about repercussions on their family members in Tibet. The 2025 Report to Congress on Tibet Negotiations emphasized the US government’s calls to end human rights violations in Tibet. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the US commitment to safeguarding the rights of Tibetans in a social media post during the Tibetan New Year in February 2025.
The International Campaign for Tibet highlighted the lack of meaningful engagement between the US and Chinese governments on resuming Sino-Tibetan dialogue. The report underscored the absence of formal negotiations between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010. Despite the US government’s appeals for dialogue resumption, the 2025 Report to Congress on Tibet Negotiations did not specify any such requests made by US officials.
