To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of China on the right of cultural expression in Tibet. (195571)

We have expressed our concern to Chinese authorities both in Beijing and London about recent events in Tibet and the surrounding region. We have urged them to respect freedom of expression and religion in Tibet; to avoid the use of excessive force in dealing with riots; and to respect fully the human rights of those detained. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to Chinese Premier Wen on 19 March 2008 urging the Chinese government to address the underlying issues by re-engaging in dialogue without preconditions with the Dalai Lama and his representatives. We discussed the rights of ethnic minorities with Chinese officials at the most recent round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue, held on 28 January 2008 in Beijing.