A large gathering of Tibetans in Paris to denounce the arrival of Xi Jinping

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Republic Square, displaying the Tibetan flag and calling the Chinese president a “dictator”.

The Tibetan community in Paris does not welcome Xi Jinping. Several thousand demonstrators, according to representatives of the Tibetan community, gathered on Sunday May 5 afternoon in Paris to denounce the Chinese president’s two-day state visit to France, “country of human rights” that welcomes “a dictator”.

“Stop the threat against Taiwan, stop the repression in Hong Kong, stop support for Putin, stop interference in France”could we read on a large banner visible at Place de la République. “Dictator Xi Jinping, your time is up”, “no to Chinese totalitarianism”also proclaimed signs.

“There’s more to life than just the economy”

Hundreds of protesters flew the Tibetan flag. The crowd, on numerous occasions, chanted “France, country of human rights” Or “Long live free Tibet”. Xi Jinping “is a dictator” who wants to make Tibetan tradition and culture disappear, said Karma Thinlay, president of the Tibetan community of France, to AFP. In China, “there is no freedom of expression, there is no freedom”he lamented. “France is a country of human rights and freedom, this is not compatible with his arrival.”

Emmanuel Macron intends to advocate “reciprocity” trade and the search for a resolution to the war in Ukraine in the face of a Chinese president who continues to show his support for Russia. “Emmanuel Macron must know that with China, we cannot do business calmly, with confidence, because China is a country where all rights are violated”continued Karma Thinlay. “There’s more to life than just the economy”he launched, hoping that the French president will seize this “occasion” to talk about the situation in Tibet in order to find “a peaceful solution”.