Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton brings more experience on the Tibet issue, both professional and personal, than any previous incoming Secretary of State.

Clinton issued a strong statement condemning the brutal Chinese response to the March 2008 uprisings, and urged former President Bush not to attend the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics because of the crackdown in Tibet. She has met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on numerous occasions and co-sponsored the resolution to award him the Congressional Gold Medal. She also co-sponsored the Tibetan Policy Act, which codified the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues within the State Department.

In her 2003 memoir, "Living History," Clinton wrote about her disdain for Chinese restrictions placed on Tibetans from exile wanting to participate in the UN World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995: “It is indefensible that many women in NGOs who wished to participate in this conference have not been able to attend or have been prohibited from fully taking part."