Book, map with original names of Tibetan places to counter China’s claims: Sikyong Penpa Tsering
The Central Tibetan Administration is also planning to compile a book of old names of Tibetan villages and communities
As the Tibetan government-in-exile at Dharamshala is planning to issue a map of Tibet with original names of places and boundaries to counter China’s cartographic aggression, Sikyong (president) Penpa Tsering said the work on the map is underway and the completion of the process will depend on the level of details that will be included in the map.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) is also planning to compile a book of old names of Tibetan villages and communities. “The work on the map is under process, and much will depend on to what level we need to go to find out the original names in Tibetan. If we restrict it only to townships, the task becomes much easier. Maybe we will begin by focusing on townships and later expand it to include villages, and that involves a lot of work,” said Tsering.
The Tibetan leader also said the project will also involve the composition of a book on the old Tibetan names of every Tibet community or village that has its traditional name. “This book will preserve for future generations the original names and the historical stories behind them, ensuring that this cultural heritage is protected. This is not merely a response to China’s cartographic aggression but also a step toward preserving the cultural heritage of Tibet,” he said.
‘Govts should respect historical status of Tibet’
Speaking on the cartographic aggression of the Chinese government and the usage of name “Xizang” instead of Tibet, Sikyong said, “It is not just about renaming Tibet as ‘Xizang’, it’s about erasing the historical background behind the name. When you adopt these terms, as China insists, it aligns with their narrative.”
Last year, Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile had expressed concern over the alleged use of “Xizang” and not “Tibet” on certain museum catalogues in France, viewing it as a capitulation to Chinese pressure.
Tsering said despite the limited resources, efforts are being made to reach out to governments and institutions. “One museum in France agreed to make corrections, which is a positive development, and we hope other governments will respect the historical status of Tibet as an independent state. Otherwise, even the middle-way policy loses its meaning. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks about the middle-way policy, it inherently involves acknowledging the polarities—one being Tibet’s historical status,” he said, adding, “we have been reaching out to governments and media and urging them to not use the Chinese term ‘Xizang’ because they (China) are not only doing this to Tibet but also in areas in India and South China Sea.”
