I. Stable Tibet, Secure Border, and Secure Nation

Tibet Autonomous Region is a border area of China that occupies a significant and strategic position. The biggest impediment to its development at present is the gap between the growing material and cultural needs of its people and the region's underdeveloped social production. Meanwhile its people of various ethnic groups face the menace of separatism embodied in the Dalai Lama clique. To find solutions to these problems, we must address the issue of border area administration.

As President Xi Jinping put it, "To ensure good governance of China, we must first of all have good governance of border areas; to achieve good governance of border areas, we must first of all have a stable Tibet." This remark highlights the significance of Tibet for China's national and border security.

II. Opportunities Brought by the Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative

The Silk Road Economic Belt is a grand program proposed by the Chinese government with regard to both economic development and diplomacy. Since President Xi Jinping first proposed it on September 7, 2013, the initiative has received broad attention and generated wide-ranging discussion.

Although an outlying frontier region of China, Tibet was historically part of the Southern Silk Road, the ancient Tang-Tubo Road, and the Tea-horse Trail. It borders the Chinese regions of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Xinjiang, and lies adjacent to India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bhutan, so acting as a pivot between China and its South Asian neighbors. Participation in the Silk Road Economic Belt, therefore, will present great strategic opportunities to Tibet, and significantly boost local governance.

Tibet's participation in the program was raised at the Sixth Forum on Work of Tibet held by the CPC Central Committee, and prescribed in the Vision and Actions on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, and the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) of the regional government of Tibet. Being part of the Silk Road Economic Belt development strategy will open up immediate, substantial, and historic opportunities for the region, and bring to it new perspectives and ideas on buttressing its growth, stability, and security.

Tibet's location as the interface between the Silk Road Economic Belt and South Asia puts it at the forefront of China's opening-up to countries to its southwest. The construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt will greatly vitalize Tibet's exchanges and cooperation with other Chinese regions and China's neighboring countries, and also bolster the stability and security of its surrounding areas.

III. The "Belt" and Tibet's Opening-up and Development

Participation in the Silk Road Economic Belt will open up more opportunities for Tibet's opening-up and development, which in turn will advance construction of the "Belt." It is thus a win-win deal.

3.1 The "Belt" Creates Opportunities for Tibet

First, the construction of the Economic Belt is expected to generate more aid towards improving local infrastructures, including those of transport, power supply, and irrigation, and to galvanize local industries. Second, integration into the Economic Belt will also encourage Tibet to establish a new, open economic system and a transparent, inclusive policy system. Last but not least, it will bring about changes in the regional geopolitical pattern. For instance, by building a passage through which to open up to South Asia, China can balance terrestrial and maritime geopolitics, and so breach the blockade it faces at sea.

3.2 Tibet Contributes to Construction of the "Belt"

Internationally, Tibet has a long tradition of economic ties with the South Asian countries neighboring China, having maintained robust border trade with them in past years. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) Tibet will further enhance its economic and trade ties and cultural exchanges with Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Myanmar, so contributing to the construction of a passage through South Asia, the Silk Road Economic Belt, and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor.

Domestically, by expanding its cooperation with neighboring provinces/autonomous regions on infrastructures, Tibet will enact more proactive opening-up policies towards other parts of China, and expand its scope of opening-up. Having become more integrated into the national economy, Tibet can spearhead and facilitate China's opening up of its regions to South Asia.

IV. The "Belt" and Tibetan Stability

4.1 The Positive Effect of the "Belt" on Tibetan Stability

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the passage connecting China with South Asia will yield tangible benefits for Nepal, and consequently counteract the influence of Tibetan separatists, thus boosting the security of China's border areas as well as social stability in Tibet. The "Belt" will also reinforce China's economic and trade ties with India, and improve the Sino-Indian relationship in all respects. This will also result in, to some extent, moves by the Indian government to contain Tibet separatists, so checking threats to Tibetan stability.

The "Belt" will also bring Tibet and the inland regions closer, and thus enhance national solidarity. The notion of one nation and one people will be reinforced among members of all ethnic groups, so strengthening the cultural bond among them and their support for the Communist Party of China and socialism with Chinese characteristics.

4.2 Tibetan Stability Has a Positive Effect on the "Belt"

Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and a passage through South Asia require social stability in all the countries concerned. A stable geopolitical environment is hence both the prerequisite and guarantee for construction of this "Belt." A vast region on China's western borders, Tibet is instrumental to maintaining regional stability. The region's own peace and stability, therefore, is critical to the equilibrium in South Asia as a whole.

【Note】The paper is for academic exchanges only. Author consent is required for publication.

【Author】Chen Pu (1982-), born in Weishan of Shandong Province, master's degree, deputy research fellow engaged in research on Tibet's social and economic development.

(Chen Pu , Associate Researcher ,Economic Strategy Research Institute, Tibetan Academy of Social Science)