EN E-002309/2015 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini (16.12.2015) 1. The Human Rights situation in Tibet was raised during the 33rd EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in Brussels on 8-9 December 2014, when discussing the rights of persons belonging to minorities (especially in Tibet and Xinjiang). Individual cases were raised in this context. The EU asked China to provide an assessment of its policies to promote the rights of persons belonging to minorities. More specifically on Tibet, the EU asked what measures China intends to take to address deep-rooted grievances, including the lack of freedom to practice their own religion and culture, that have led some Tibetans to resort to self-immolations. The issue was raised, once again during the 34th EU-China Human Rights dialogue, which took place in Beijing on 30 November-1 December 2015 (see press release) 2. In September 2013, the EUSR's first visit to China, included a 5-day visit to Qinghai and the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). EUSR Lambrinidis met with many Party and Government Officials, including with the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Li Baodong, as well as a broad crosssection of Chinese civil society in Beijing. Whilst in Tibet, he met with local officials, herdsmen, farmers, monks, university students, and teachers and pupils at a kindergarten. During his second visit to China (7-14 November 2015), the EUSR is followed-up on his previous visit, asking questons about recent trends in monasteries and the circumstances of those surviving selfimmolations, their families and communities (see press release). 3. Indeed, since 2012 Government or party officials have been stationed in almost all monasteries permanently, sometimes at senior rank and paid at the level of a deputy director of a provinciallevel government department. This was also raised by EUSR Lambrinidis during his visit. Credible sources also confirm that the Drongna, Tarmoe, and Rabten monasteries in Driru (in Chinese, Biru) county in the Tibetan Autonomous Region’s Nagchu (Naqu) prefecture were closed in December 2013. 4. HR/VP Mogherini is kept fully informed of the situation in Tibet.