The British Museum’s use of the term “Xizang” to label Tibetan artifacts in its Silk Roads exhibition has prompted criticism from Tibetans and rights groups who have demanded that the museum remove the Beijing-promoted term and issue a formal apology. Using “Xizang” — a term China formally adopted in 2023 in all its official documents to refer to Tibet — plays into Beijing’s attempts to undermine and erase Tibet’s historical and cultural identity, advocates say.
Instead, they demand that the London museum use “Tibet” exclusively. Earlier this year, the French museum Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac also came under fire using the term in its exhibit. In October, the museum said it would undo the change in its exhibits, following weeks of protests and petitions by Tibetans.