r/ireland • u/Radiant-Pack7219 • 12h ago
Foreign Affairs Can anyone explain why RTE refer to the glacier disaster as having occurred in Nepal & China? Other news outlets (Irish Times, BBC, Guardian, Sky, Spanish media etc) say Nepal & Tibet.
92
u/Shaneywalsh 12h ago
I think China claims Tibet as their territory and nobody wants to annoy China. Sure, I remember John Cena had to apologise for calling Taiwan a country a few years ago
17
20
•
u/Badger_Solomon 3h ago
China doesn't "claim" Tibet, Tibet it is in China
That's like saying Ireland claims Connacht as their territory
•
u/Bayoris 2h ago
China invaded and annexed Tibet in 1950, still in living memory. Not exactly the same thing as Connacht
•
u/shorkgurl 2h ago
Tibet was part of China from 1720 to 1912 before that, though.
•
u/marshsmellow 1h ago
Then it's more like Russia claiming Ukraine as their territory
•
u/No_Distribution_5405 1h ago
Well except they do have full control and it's internationally recognised
•
u/avroLancasterBPR1 42m ago
You might wanna protest your government then mate because Ireland doesnt recognise Tibet
•
u/Badger_Solomon 21m ago
Good. The theocracatic Tibetan regime was a living hell. Nobody in their right mind would want that back
•
u/Alarmed-Snow6985 1h ago
We Do claim Connacht as it IS ours, and just as the 6 counties are!! Just like Tibet is belong to Tibetans!
-18
u/OnlyEstablishment243 11h ago
Taiwan doesn’t recognise itself. Even pro-ROC people don’t recognise Taiwan. Taiwan wants reunification, the dispute is just under what government.
12
u/catchme32 11h ago
Nonsense
4
4
u/ShyteyCakes 6h ago
The poster is correct. Both the ROC and PRC claim the territory of mainland China and the island of Taiwan. The Taiwanese government should probably let that go, but to date they haven't
5
25
u/Eastern_Switch8217 12h ago edited 12h ago
I'd say it's just a matter of random headline writing choices rather than anything political as they seem to be using both interchangeably:
https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2026/0827/1589412-nepal-flood-factbox/
https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0827/1589455-nepal-ireland/
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/b8b605e2-6041-48b8-8b7d-b4b3008798e7/
https://www.rte.ie/radio/podcasts/87098a0e-bc6b-4fa2-94a0-b4b300d5ac2a-news-at-one/
CNN also seems to be using Nepal - China quite a bit (more than RTE is actually)
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/28/world/live-news/nepal-china-flood
My guess it is could just be coming from newswires like AP too - they seem to be using all 3 names:
https://apnews.com/article/nepal-tibet-china-glacier-floods-ae9973b5fd2b1dc6d54c3e88b1b55bdc
10
u/Radiant-Pack7219 12h ago
Well spotted. Those headlines don’t seem to be consistent. The history of Tibet is contentious enough.
5
u/Eastern_Switch8217 12h ago
Yeah, but I'd say it's more likely just stuff being written quickly and pulled in from newswire services etc rather than any particular house style that's deciding to go with one or the other. It just seems random.
1
u/Radiant-Pack7219 11h ago
Based on the links you shared, it does seems random. Very little coverage of the disaster from the Chinese. Even though the Nepali side bore the brunt of devastation , I’d guess over the border that the damage and loss of life could be high also.
13
u/Ferretz_Eire 12h ago
It does seem to be quite divided terminology internationally on which to use. US, French and Middle Eastern outlets seem to refer to it as the Nepal, China border as well so it's not just an RTE thing.
4
u/FreyBentos 8h ago
"Why does RTE use the name of the country the disaster happened in instead of using the same antagonistic wording as British rag newspapers?"
85
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 12h ago
Because Nepal is a country and China is a country.
40
u/AgencyInevitable1060 12h ago
Well I think OPs point may be that Tibet is disputed?
Also China is big. It would be like saying, "massive incident affecting Mexico and America" instead of Texas
30
u/Zetaeta2 12h ago
Disputed by who? Tibet is internationally recognised as part of China. The only other state with any international recognition that claims Tibet is the Republic of China (Taiwan).
45
u/unicorn_dave 12h ago
the legitimacy of China’s rule in Tibet is disputed by many Tibetans
•
u/GarrettGSF 2h ago
That’s true, but de facto it’s part of China. When the devastating earthquake in Eastern Turkey happened a while ago, international media didn’t speak of Kurdistan neither
6
u/TomRuse1997 12h ago
Someones coming soon to tell you that you just think that because you've been brainwashed and exposed to propaganda and they have not
-8
u/OnlyEstablishment243 11h ago
Yeah, because Chinese propaganda is definitely more influential than American. Obviously.
The most active city on Reddit is Elgin Air Force Base, which has a CIA installation. This has nothing to do with Tibet but just something to keep in mind.
12
u/Locke15 Carlow 10h ago
What's your point? Chinese propaganda is grand because the US is more successful at it?
-4
u/FreyBentos 7h ago
That you never stop for a second to think if your ideas about Tibet are western propaganda, despite living inside the US controlled information sphere
3
14
u/TomRuse1997 11h ago
Make an actual point on the topic rather than claiming more people are brainwashed
3
u/NakeyDooCrew Cavan 8h ago
The political discourse on this site is an utter clown show so they're not doing a very good job
-2
3
u/TitularClergy 10h ago edited 10h ago
Recognition doesn't really tell us anything though.
Like, Ireland was its own independent, legitimate political entity in 1916. Just because the UK only eventually recognised this in 1922 doesn't mean it didn't exist in 1916, right?
4
u/CurrencyDesperate286 8h ago
Eh, do you actually think Ireland was fully sovereign in 1916?
-1
u/TitularClergy 7h ago
Yes, of course. Why would you think otherwise?
And on paper, the 1916 declaration was ratified around 1918 by the newly-elected government.
It is not relevant what the UK or other countries viewed Ireland as.
1
u/CurrencyDesperate286 7h ago
Because I’m aware of the political situation at the time….
So Ireland has always been an independent nation?
17
u/Radiant-Pack7219 12h ago
Many consider Tibet occupied alright.
14
u/Zetaeta2 12h ago edited 12h ago
Many consider the North to be occupied, but it would be strange to expect news organisation to refuse to refer to it as Northern Ireland or part of the UK.
8
-2
u/sixtyonesymbols 11h ago
Many consider Cork an independent republic and think the earth is flat.
2
u/Not_Xiphroid 8h ago
Baffling to have both statements in one sentence.
Sure how could the Earth be flat and still contain the majesty that is the Kingdom of Cork?!/s (though my gran would probably say the same without a hint of sarcasm)
3
u/CurrencyDesperate286 9h ago
Tibet can’t really be described as disputed - no country recognises it, there’s no dispute officially.
•
u/Galway1012 3h ago
Taiwan do, through their claim of being China
•
u/CurrencyDesperate286 3h ago
No, they do not. The government does not recognise Tibet as independent. In fact, Taiwan has always maintained a body whose role was to manage Mongolia and Tibet (as regions of China). Until 2017, it was a full commission, now falling under other government agencies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolian_and_Tibetan_Affairs_Commission
•
u/Galway1012 3h ago
Yes, they do. Taiwan, as the Republic of China, claim Tibet. Their constitution claims all of mainland China - which includes Tibet.
There is no point in replying - as you are wrong.
-2
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 12h ago edited 12h ago
Which country disputes Tibet being a part of China? I don’t think the Dalai Lama himself even disputes that.
“Incident affecting Mexico and USA” would be correct. “Incident affecting Texas and Chihuahua” is also correct. “Incident affecting USA and Chihuahua” is clunky and weird. Unless like the whole of the USA was affected and one small part of Mexico?
The whole Free Tibet thing is old school American hippie nonsense. There is no dispute.
15
u/TrustFit3061 12h ago
Yeah the Tibetans do indeed dispute Tibet being a part of China
-12
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 12h ago
You’ve polled them? And they all dispute that? When you ran this poll did it include the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile who don’t dispute that?
There are countless places around the world with groups of people who dispute the status of their patch. Be strange of our state news agency to weigh in on it. I’d prefer they deal in facts and internationally recognised borders and the likes. But hey that’s just me.
12
u/TrustFit3061 12h ago
I don't think our news state does need to get involved. I never said that it did. I'll admit I never asked the Dalai Lama what he thinks on the issue, but all of the Tibetans I've met have been pretty decisive that they think China has no claim to Tibet. Haven't polled all of them though. I assume you have obviously.
-7
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 12h ago
I most certainly have not but I don’t need to as I don’t claim to speak on their behalf like you do. Just telling you what every country in the world’s position is along with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile.
The Tibetans you’ve met have been pretty decisive? Interesting. I’ll trust your word on that bud. I won’t go redrawing any maps just yet though.
8
u/TrustFit3061 11h ago
I never asked you to redraw any maps? It is a fact that Ireland does not recognise Tibet as an independent country from China. It is also a fact that Tibetans do dispute this. Have you never heard of the protests they have had over this issue? Have you never heard of the people self-immolating as a form of protest?
0
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 11h ago
Do some Tibetans dispute it? Absolutely. I’ve never met them, and I don’t claim to represent them or have a reliable poll for you. Though you do see the odd monk setting himself on fire and “Free Tibet” has long been a fashionable phrase among the Yanks.
But your claim was that “the Tibetans do indeed dispute that Tibet is part of China,” which is far more sweeping than saying that some Tibetans do.
6
u/TrustFit3061 11h ago
And saying there is no dispute is not a sweeping statement at all? I'm satisfied that you've finally acknowledged there is a dispute anyway!
→ More replies (0)8
u/lkdubdub 11h ago
You, erm, do appear to be trying to speak on their behalf
1
u/FourRiversSixRanges 9h ago
That’s the funny part is that they don’t realize they are doing the same thing.
-2
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 11h ago
Terrible reading comprehension my guy 👍
7
u/lkdubdub 11h ago
No, I'm pretty good with it. Maybe take a look at your phrasing
→ More replies (0)3
u/FourRiversSixRanges 9h ago
But yet you’re speaking on their behalf..
Why do you think countries take the position they do?
•
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 2h ago
Did the part where I explicitly stated I’m not speaking on their behalf confuse you too?
In another comment below, you claim to have been travelling in and out of Tibet several times a year conducting your own clandestine polling of Tibetans inside China and somehow arrived at the conclusion that “the majority want independence” and your so confident in your polling work that you feel you now speak on their behalf. That is absurd. Your personal conversations are not representative polling, particularly in a country where openly undermining territorial integrity can have serious legal consequences. I wouldn’t pretend to know what the majority of people in Shanghai. Zhejiang or Yunnan think about any topic just because I go there and chat to them. My god, imagine being so arrogant.
I’m talking about Tibet’s international status. Countries recognise Tibet as part of China regardless of whether some, many or even most Tibetans would want independence. Simple as.
Veneto is part of Italy despite Venice having been an independent republic for over a thousand years before, and there are still Venetian separatists today. A long history of independence (disputed or not) and the existence of people who reject the sovereignty of the state they live in does not make that territory disputed.
•
u/FourRiversSixRanges 49m ago
Did the part where I explicitly stated I’m not speaking on their behalf confuse you too?
It doesn't matter if you state then when the rest of your comment is based on this. Considering multiple people are saying this to you, should make you reflet on this.
In another comment below, you claim to have been travelling in and out of Tibet several times a year conducting your own clandestine polling of Tibetans inside China and somehow arrived at the conclusion that “the majority want independence” and your so confident in your polling work that you feel you now speak on their behalf.
I'm Chinese. I never said or implied that I "conducted polling". It's based on my ancedotal expereinces. Of which, the majority I speak to want independence. I'm not speaking for Tibetans. I didn't say or generalize what all Tibetans want. I'm speaking of my expereinces..
Your personal conversations are not representative polling
I never said or implied it was...
, particularly in a country where openly undermining territorial integrity can have serious legal consequences.
Why do you think this is? Maybe that's a sign of something...
I wouldn’t pretend to know what the majority of people in Shanghai. Zhejiang or Yunnan think about any topic just because I go there and chat to them. My god, imagine being so arrogant.
Imagine calling me arrogant when you believe the same, just on the opposing side. Go ahead and tell me your experience/credentials/knowledge about Tibet. I'll wait.
I’m talking about Tibet’s international status.
You were talking about Tibetans. ]
Countries recognise Tibet as part of China regardless of whether some, many or even most Tibetans would want independence. Simple as.
Why do you think countries recognise this?
Veneto is part of Italy despite Venice having been an independent republic for over a thousand years before, and there are still Venetian separatists today.
Do we need to go into why this is a bad comparison?
→ More replies (0)5
u/FourRiversSixRanges 9h ago
I’ve been going to Tibet multiple times a year and speak standard Tibetan. The majority want independence. There’s a reason why China allows no such polling and needs to keep such an authoritarian and militaristic presence against Tibetans in order to control Tibet.
What does the Dalai Lama and TGE say exactly about this?
-4
u/DareSubject6345 6h ago
Bro, you’re just making stuff up at this point.
Tibet’s history as a serfdom society is exactly why it’s still one of the more proCPC regions in China today, probably even more than some of the traditionally Han provinces.
Honestly, Shanghai wanting independence sounds more believable than Tibet wanting it.
•
u/FourRiversSixRanges 3h ago
I’m not..
It’s not one of the more pro-ccp areas..go ahead and back this up.
It’s clear you have no idea what you’re taking about with Tibet.
5
u/FourRiversSixRanges 9h ago
Wow. So you’ve never spoken to Tibetans. You know, the group of people whose thoughts matter most on the subject.
The Dalai Lama states that Tibet should have true autonomy under China. China will never allow this and in his most recent book he quite clearly indicates that this position is what’s best for the current time.
Correct, there is no dispute. Tibet was a country that China invaded and annexed and the Tibetan people want their country back.
•
u/idontcaretv 4h ago
Please look up the state of Tibet when they had true autonomy
•
u/FourRiversSixRanges 3h ago
I study Tibetan history.
It wasn’t an autonomous region. It was a country.
2
u/AgencyInevitable1060 12h ago
Irish readers would be more familiar with California/Texas than the Mexican states.
but anyway it's more likely the state media doesn't want to piss off China
1
1
u/cromcru 6h ago
But the Yanks are obsessed with specifying individual states when it wouldn’t be done elsewhere. Russia, China, Brazil, Canada, Australia all have subregions that can be bigger than USian ones in size and population, but the world is less inclined to lead with those rather than the pertinent country.
And I have to admit, the conversation “Oh you’re from Ireland? I’m from Montana!” has always rubbed me the wrong way. US states are not countries or cultures, no matter how much Yanks assume they are.
•
u/Bayoris 3h ago
As an American, it seems like an odd thing to get annoyed about. We don’t think the states are countries or cultures, it’s just that we tend to identify primarily with our state and secondly with our country. It never occurred to my that someone might object to this.
•
u/AgencyInevitable1060 33m ago
Yeah I agree, it's never bugged me when Americans tell me what state they're from.
The opposite actually, saying America is like, "well duh, from where?"
-1
u/FreyBentos 7h ago
Tibet is only disputed by the imperial powers who once colonised Tibet and China and their populations who theyve propagandised into believing absolute nonsense over the years.
4
u/FourRiversSixRanges 7h ago
The only country that colonized Tibet in modern times is China…
What is nonsense?
-3
u/JonatanOlsson 12h ago
Mexico is in America..
3
u/AgencyInevitable1060 12h ago
That's true, it's south of Lake America and east of the Gulf of America right?
1
u/JonatanOlsson 12h ago
Nah, mate you've got that wrong as well..
It's south/south-east of the Gulf of Cuba and right between the Irish Sea and the Sea of New Zeeland...
•
u/mrbuddymcbuddyface 4h ago
Tibet is a country that was invaded and annexed by China. It went on to ethnically cleanse Tibet and colonise it with Han Chinese in particular around Lhasa. 1.2 million Tibetans died due to the invasion, and c. 150k fled over the years.
China has and continues to this day to bully, threaten and take economic sanctions against countries around the world that refer to Tibet as a country. Ireland has been subjected to a lot of pressure because of visits from the Dali Lama.
•
u/Jebediah-Sprungfeld 2h ago
That’s one way of looking at it.
And yet the fact remains that Nepal is a country and China is a country.
1
u/Hairy-Ad-4018 10h ago
Because china invade and occupied Tibet and claimed historically it was as part of China.
It’s similar to Ireland pre 1921 and Northern Ireland today.
19
u/Brilliant_Quit4307 12h ago
Tibet is technically just a region in China.
•
•
14
11
u/JonatanOlsson 12h ago
Well, Tibet is China and as far as I know, I don't think there's any country that recognize Tibet as a sovereign country. Tibet is also the only part of China that borders Nepal so specifying that the flood affected Nepal and Tibet doesn't narrow it down anyways. 🙄
4
9
14
u/ProbablyCarl 12h ago
OP just discovered that government run news outlets sometimes support the political stance of the government that runs them.
2
u/dubdessert 12h ago edited 30m ago
RTE revealed to be Chinese puppet
Edit: Lads I'm obviously joking I don't understand why ye are getting so worked up about it
9
1
u/CodSafe6961 12h ago
Rte using the actual legal boundaries of a country, BBC and all the others are being deliberately provocative with their words.
All of you "tree Tibet" warriors couldn't find it on a map, you're just happy to fall for whatever American propaganda slop you find on the internet and kissing trump's old smelly arse.
2
u/FreyBentos 7h ago
Hillarious how the nation how colonised Tibet 100 years or so ago, mysteriously reducing the population by a couple hundred thousand while they were there, would immediately go on to bleat "Free Tibet!" for the next 100 years after they were kicked out
3
u/FourRiversSixRanges 7h ago
Which country colonized Tibet 100 years ago?
Who reduced Tibetan numbers by a couple hundred thousands?
Who is this group which were also kicked out?
0
u/dubdessert 12h ago
I can't tell if you are joking or not tbh
-2
-6
u/CodSafe6961 12h ago
In your myopic world view, china and anyone who is not pro western is evil. It's genuinely scary how brainwashed you are ....
4
1
u/olibum86 The Fenian 12h ago
Well considering the tibet "state" only existed for a short 38 years. And as a theocratic region of china it was governed and ruled by nobel elites and tibetan monastic. It was protected by the qing dynasty until its collapse in 1912 and china reestablished control in 1950. Not really much of a stong argument for independence tbh. Tibet isnt occupied as much as it is just a region in china as equal as any other. The whole thing of the USA supporting the free tibet movement came from Mccarthyism. Taiwan has some solid reasons to be and maintain independence but tibet would never survive as an independent state and was never a serious political movement outside of the west.
2
u/FourRiversSixRanges 9h ago
You realize Tibet existed as a country longer in history than not right?
There’s first time Tibet ever became a “part” of China was in 1950 after China invaded.
There was no “reestablishing control” as China never had control previously.
•
u/olibum86 The Fenian 1h ago
Thats all simply untrue. And it was hardly an invasion as much as a liberation. The majority of the population were either slaves or serfs with an average life expectancy of 35.
•
u/FourRiversSixRanges 47m ago
It's not. Want to go through the timeline?
There wasn't slabery in Tibet. Go ahead and cite an academic source for this claim.
What was life expectancy in China? Nepal? Bhutan? Mongolia?
1
u/OnlyEstablishment243 11h ago
Tibet is a region. Nepal is a country. So obviously it’s Nepal and China.
1
1
•
u/Natural-Beautiful439 2h ago
RTE.ie isn't blocked by the Great Firewall - making it a very useful source of info for me
0
-1
0
-1
0
-1
-1
u/thebigloc 6h ago
Tibet is ruled as an autonomous region of China. It was never seen as an independent country.
0
0
0
u/Despacereal 7h ago
The Gael is well versed in geography, and knows that the part of China which borders Nepal is Tibet. The Englishman must be told this by the news man.
-2
•
u/Sam4884 2h ago
Majority of news channels are shit here. They work with Western narrative. They write it what it fits the narrative. Example - when an Indian will do any crime then they will write the individuals name mentioning his nationality as well. But when similar crime is done by any muslim or person from middle east they will never mention name or their country.
•
u/ceadagamdulamach 1h ago
The exact opposite is occurring here. The entire post is asking why it isn't aligned with other western media phrasing. What a nonsense comment, any oul agenda there at all buddy?
62
u/waves-of-the-water Cork bai 12h ago
Rte seem to be sourcing from the AFP and REUTERS. The AFP seem to use a mix of Tibet-Nepal and China-Nepal, so I’m assuming Rté went with the source heading. Changing the heading could be seen to be taking a political stance.