Wall Street Journal
June 23, 1999

The World Bank board postponed its consideration of a project that would resettle 58,000 ethnic Chinese farmers onto traditionally Tibetan lands.

(Excerpt)

WASHINGTON– The board was to have discussed whether to approve the $160 million project loan yesterday, but delayed action until tomorrow so that bank President James D. Wolfensohn could return from a trip and lead the meeting. “It’s just too sensitive,” a bank official said. The Clinton administration has decided to oppose the project, while Chinese officials have ratcheted up their campaign to force the board of the 181-member bank. It isn’t clear whether the board, which usually operates by consensus, will give its approval. “We don’t want to speculate on the outcome,” the official said.