Why is Tibet part of China?

Before answering this question, let me turn around with some other questions.

Why is Hong Kong part of China now? Because the colony’s British ruler was not able and willing to fight against the Chinese claim in 1997.

Why is XinJiang part of China? Because China won some key battles in early 1900 and conquered the area.

Why is Mongolia, which used to be part of Qing Dynasty Chinese Empire, an independent state now? Because Joseph Stalin believed an independent Mongolia was necessary for the safety of the Soviet territories in Far East. China was too weak to intervene right after the World War II.

Why is Taiwan still independent today? Because the United State has been provide military backing to the government on the island.

This kind of questions and answers can be extended to any part of the world. We are where we are not because of media exposures and debates. The relative strength of countries determines the outcome of geographical boundaries. Today’s destiny of Tibet is no different from those of any other areas in the world. Not fair? Unfortunately, this has been the reality of this world. Those people who charge the Chinese for ‘invading’ Tibet need to examine the history of their own countries as well.

Arguing about whether Tibet has historically been an independent state is equally futile. People on either side of this debate will have plenty of “evidences” to support his case. History is like a talented young girl. One may let her put on different costumes and play many roles. On the internet one will find people with high academic profiles on both sides of the arguments.

Dalai Lama and his supporters charge the Chinese government of systematic racial discrimination. I do not believe this charge is true. On the contrary, in order to keep this land and to pacify the local residents, the Chinese government has adopted many policies in favor of the minorities. For example, an ethnic Tibetan high school student may get into the top Chinese universities by scoring half of national minimum in the college entrance examinations. There are many other more substantial ‘affirmative actions.’

Will there ever be equality between the indigenous Tibetans and the emigrant Han Chinese? I doubt. The Chinese government will be considered very successful if the gap will not become wider. To bring equality to two racial groups with different temperaments is an un-resolvable issue in the world. Since the civil movement, the US government has passed many laws to help the minorities. Is there racial equality between blacks and whites today? Statistics are out there. Are there tensions and ‘misunderstandings’ between blacks and whites? A recently surfaced tape on Obama’s long time priest’s church speeches give a glimpse to the grim reality.

Another issue the pro-Tibetan movements raise is that the Han Chinese has been ‘systematically’ destroying the Tibetan culture. I am not sure how this can be done. A culture as profound as the one in Tibet will not be ‘destroyed’ as long as the vehicles that carries this culture – the people, the religious institutions – are still around. To keep this culture so pristine that it will not be affected by any outside influence remains a dream. In many aspects, Tibet will move forward along with the World. In Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, five star hotels and modern shopping malls will exist not far from traditional shopping Bazaar and Mosques. The monks will be studying Buddhist scripts during the day and IM with his friends with his 3G wireless phone in his spare time.


Will independence solve all problems? Hell no. I see independence as a beginning of many other conflicts. Without the Han Chinese, those returning from exile will find plenty of enemies of their own race. In the past 50 years, the Chinese government has trained thousands upon thousands of ethnical Tibetan cadres. They are now mayors, judges or in other high government positions. It will take a lot of imagination to believe the returned Dalai people, mostly formal tribe bosses, plantations owners or high clergymen, will work side by side with those Chinese trained cadres, many of whom direct decedents of formal noble servants or slaves.

Nowadays, Dalai Lama has won wide sympathy and support for accusing the Chinese of unfairly treating the Tibetans. It remains to be seen if the Dalai Lama’s regime will treat the non-Tibetans living in Tibet with fairness. Expelling the Han Chinese is a tempting way to get rid of bad influence on the Tibetan culture. Ethnical cleansing will cause another humanitarian problem.

Not all Tibetans live in what is now Tibet. According to a plan by Dalai Lama’s exile government, the future Tibetan state will include territories of all lands inhabited by Tibetans – a greater Tibet. By record, many of the Tibetan tribes outside Tibet have never been reporting to Lhasa since the downfall of a Tibetan dynasty since the 9th century. Until recently, part of Tibet and Gansu province are under the influence of Banchan Lama – one of the two highest Tibetan spiritual leaders. A unified greater Tibet never existed in history. I am not sure Dalai Lama’s plan is based on what reasons.

The drawing of boundary will be another problem. The border regions are co-inhabited by Tibetans, Han Chinese, Hui (Moslem) and other minority tribes. Some will have to live under some other people’s central government. For most others what difference it makes to live in Tibet as part of China or an independent Tibet?

Since the eruption of violence in Lhasa on March 14, Tibet has once again caught the attention of the whole world. For those who automatically place their sympathy on the weaker side, I say, please continue to pay attention and please make sure you put Tibet in the contest that racial issues exist not only in China but all over the world. For those who do not trust the Chinese communist party government, I say, many overseas Chinese share your view. But China has made tremendous progress in the past 20 years. Let us hope as China moves forward towards a more open society, all will change. Freedom will shine in China just as freedom shines in many other places in the world. For those China haters, I say, your dream will not come true. In order to break up China, you will first have to make her much weaker – weaker than the Chairman Mao’s time. In order to weaken China, you will need to break her up. Can you figure our which one comes first, chicken or egg? External force won’t work on China. To break Kosovo off Yugoslavia, President Clinton sent some F22s. To break Tibet off China, you will need WMD – not one or two but dozens. Are you out of your mind?