Washington DC - Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday announced a new envoy to promote the protection of Tibetan human rights under Chinese rule.

Rubio used a statement celebrating the Tibetan New Year to announce that Riley Barnes – the current assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor – will serve as the US special coordinator for Tibetan issues.

"The United States remains committed to supporting the unalienable rights of Tibetans and their distinct linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage," Rubio said in a statement released by the State Department.

"I extend my warmest wishes to all those celebrating Losar, the Tibetan New Year. On this first day of the Year of the Fire Horse, we celebrate the fortitude and resilience of Tibetans around the world," Rubio said.

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A top priority for US policymakers in recent years has been to defend Tibetan religious rituals in selecting a reincarnation for the Dalai Lama, fearing that China will seek to identify and groom a compliant successor.

As part of this prioritization, the special coordinator position is required by an act of Congress that was passed in 2002.

Rubio has long advocated for human rights in China and, as a senator, led an effort to support the Uyghur minority with a law that banned imports from the Xinjiang region unless they were certified not to involve forced labor.

Since joining the Trump administration, Rubio has greatly reduced his focus on Tibetan and Uyghur human rights, mostly using it as a cudgel against his adversaries.

"The setting up of the so-called coordinator for Tibetan issues is entirely out of political manipulation to interfere in China’s internal affairs and destabilize Tibet," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian in 2020, responding to a similar appointment.