The Hague, Netherlands – On April 15, 2025, the Dutch Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) passed three important motions related to Tibet. This marks a significant development for Tibet in the Netherlands. It demonstrates that the Netherlands, despite ongoing pressure from China, will raise and defend the rights of the Tibetans.

The three motions that were passed, are as follows:

On the same day, the Chinese embassy called the motions “a serious violation of the long-held position and commitments of the Dutch side and the fundamental norms of international relations.”

The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) welcomed the resolution with open arms. Wangpo Tethong, Director of ICT Europe, stated: “On behalf of the tens of thousands of Dutch supporters of Tibet, I want to thank the House of Representatives for its principled stance on Tibet. ICT Europe welcomes the support for the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama in the Netherlands – a support that reflects broader international awareness of Tibet’s importance for peace in Asia, as we also see in the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress.”

Tibetans have not witnessed such strong support for Tibet in a European parliament in many years, except in the Czech Republic. This remarkable success is the result of changing geopolitical circumstances, the visits by the Sikyong last October and the recent visit by ICT Chairman Richard Gere, but also undoubtedly due to the dedicated efforts of Tibetan groups in the Netherlands, including the Bureau of Tibet in Brussels, the Tibetan Community in the Netherlands, Tibet Support Group Netherlands, Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG) Netherlands, Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) Netherlands, and a coalition of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongols, and Hong Kongers, whose leadership was crucial in achieving this positive outcome.