Miss Tibet - Women with Wisdom from the Roof of the World

Miss Tibet expelled from Miss Tourism World due to Chinese pressure

Mcleod Ganj, 19 February 2005

Tashi Yangchen in crown and evening gown

Miss Tibet Tashi Yangchen has been expelled from Miss Tourism World pageant due to Chinese pressure.

Beijing instructed the Chinese embassy in Harare to object to the inclusion of Miss Tibet in the Miss Tourism World pageant, the pageant's organizers explained in a phone call to the Director of the Miss Tibet pageant.

The organisers of the Miss Tourism World finally ousted Tashi Yangchen from the pageant on the 16th of this month.

Tashi landed at Harare, Zimbabwe, on the 13th and took part in some of the events. The finale of the pageant is scheduled on the 26th. About 90 countries are participating in the pageant

Taiwan is represented in the pageant as Chinese Taipei. It was earlier shown as a separate country but due to Chinese objection it also had to be represented under the current title.

Hong Kong is also represented as another representative of China, at the behest of China.

Miss Tourism World is a British production chaired by John Singh.

Tashi is currently in London enroute to India.