By Khedroob Thondup

The relationship between Tibetans and Taiwanese has never happened by accident. It has grown through shared values, spiritual kinship, and a mutual understanding of what it means to live in the shadow of a powerful neighbour. Yet no institution has nurtured this delicate, meaningful relationship more than the Office of Tibet.

In Taiwan, where Tibetan Buddhism is embraced with sincerity and where His Holiness is regarded as a moral compass, the office has become the vessel through which Tibetan culture, compassion, and identity flow into Taiwanese society. It is not merely an NGO. It is a strategic cultural institution — one that carries the legacy of His Holiness and the aspirations of the Tibetan people into the Chinese-speaking world.

This is precisely why the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) must take extraordinary care in appointing the right leadership. The office cannot be hand...