By Khedroob Thondup

Executive Summary. The United Front Work Department (UFWD) is a central organ of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tasked with consolidating domestic control and extending influence abroad. Within the Tibetan diaspora, the UFWD deploys tactics of misinformation, selective co-optation, and institutional fragmentation to erode unity, weaken advocacy, and dilute loyalty to the Dalai Lama. These efforts aim to neutralize exile activism and reshape Tibetan identity under Beijing’s narrative of “Sinicization.”

Background. Diaspora significance: The Tibetan exile community, concentrated in India and Nepal, has been a vital force in preserving Tibetan culture and advocating for autonomy since 1959. UFWD mandate: Expanded under Xi Jinping, the UFWD coordinates propaganda, overseas influence, and ethnic minority management. Its work against Tibetans abroad is part of a broader campaign to control narratives and s...