Andy Cripe / Corvallis Gazette-Times

David Lin, a Taiwanese-American, commissioned a political mural that has drawn the ire of Chinese officials. Despite pressure, Lin says he will not remove the mural.

The Chinese government has asked a small city in Oregon to remove a mural that depicts Chinese riot police beating Tibetans and Buddhist monks immolating themselves in protest of Chinese rule, the Corvallis Gazette-Times newspaper reported.

Officials from the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco wrote to Mayor Julie Manning of Corvallis, Ore., urging her to act to remove the mural.

"To avoid our precious friendship from being tainted by so-called 'Tibet Independence' and 'Taiwan Independence,' we sincerely hope you can understand our concerns and adopt effective measures to stop the activities advocating 'Tibet Independence' and 'Taiwan Independence' in Corvallis," said the letter, dated Aug. 8.

"There is only one China in the world, and both Tibet and Taiwan are parts of China,” the letter said. “It is a fact recognized by the U.S. and most other countries in the world."

The mural was commissioned by David Lin, a Taiwanese-American businessman who owns the building on which it is painted. The mural, which measures 100 feet by 10 feet, is brightly colored and also includes landscapes and Tibetan prayer flags.

China has effectively ruled Tibet, which borders on India, since its military invaded in 1950; Beijing claims it has historical sovereignty over the Himalayan region. Beijing also lays claim to Taiwan, which it considers a breakaway province.

The Chinese government aggressively battles efforts to promote independence—in reality or perception—of both.

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Manning refused to have the mural removed, citing freedom of speech. Plus, she said, it’s a private building over which city officials have little say.    

Last week, following the mayor’s refusal, two Chinese officials flew up from San Francisco to meet with Manning and the city manager. Corvallis is about 80 miles south of Portland, Ore., and has about 54,500 residents. About 1,600 Chinese students attend Oregon State University there.

For the city officials, the discussion was about freedom of speech. But for Lin, the businessman, the conversation has become personal.

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He told the Gazette-Times that relatives worried they could be arrested if they traveled to China. But for now, Lin, who moved to the U.S. in the 1970s, told the newspaper that he intends to stand up against Chinese authorities.

NBC's Kari Huus and Reuters contributed to this report.

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PORTLAND, Ore. -- A vivid mural in an Oregon town that depicts a Tibetan monk's immolation and promotes independence for Taiwan has created a dust-up with China, whose consular officials have asked the city to take "effective measures" to stop such advocacy.

The mayor of the town of Corvallis, where a Taiwanese-American businessman installed the downtown mural to express his political views, responded by telling consular officials free speech laws barred the town from taking any action.

The status of Taiwan and the human rights situation in Tibet is a contentious political issue for China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be eventually unified with the mainland.

See a picture of the mural in this article from the Corvallis Gazette-Times

Tensions over Tibet are at their highest in years after a spate of protests over Chinese rule and self-immolations by Tibetan activists, which have prompted a Chinese security crackdown.

"There is only one China in the world, and both Tibet and Taiwan are parts of China. It is a fact recognized by the U.S. and most other countries in the world," read an August 8 letter to Corvallis city leaders from China's Consulate in San Francisco.

"To avoid our precious friendship from being tainted by so-called 'Tibet Independence' and 'Taiwan Independence,' we sincerely hope you can understand our concerns and adopt effective measures to stop the activities advocating 'Tibet Independence' and 'Taiwan Independence' in Corvallis," it added.

Group: Teens set selves on fire, taking Tibet burnings over 50

'Freedom of artistic expression'
The brightly colored mural, painted last month, runs 100 feet long and about 10 feet high along the top of a building at a busy intersection owned by businessman David Lin, who came to America from Taiwan in the 1970s.

The mural shows the immolation of a Tibetan monk against a bright yellow background and depicts a Tibetan monk being beaten by Chinese police, in addition to what the Corvallis Gazette-Times described as "images of Taiwan as a bulwark of freedom."

Lin, 65, told Reuters he had long been concerned about China's role in Taiwan and Tibet, and commissioned the mural because: "I feel that somebody has to stand up and do something."

Lin told the Corvallis Gazette-Times that he was "under a lot of pressure to take down the mural," saying his family and friends were concerned about possibly being arrested if they go to China.

Still, he did not plan to remove it. "I'll just keep it the same. ... I've got to live my life, that's all."

PhotoBlog: Tibetan man sets himself on fire in protest

Municipal leaders said they had informed the consular officials that there was no room for the city government to get involved in such a matter.

"I responded to them that I was sorry to learn the art work caused concern," Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning said, adding that she told Chinese officials in a written response that the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, "and this includes freedom of artistic expression."

The Chinese consulate then sent representatives to Corvallis to express concern in person on September 4. Vice Consul Zhang Hao and Deputy Consul General Song Ruan met with Manning and City Manager Jim Patterson. That meeting did not include any demands.

Corvallis, about 80 miles south of Portland, has a population of about 54,500 people. It is home to Oregon State University, which Patterson said has an estimated 1,600 Chinese students.

The Chinese consulate in San Francisco did not respond to an email request for comment and could not be reached by phone.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

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