A :The Chinese central government has for more than 700 years exercised sovereignty over Tibet, and Tibet has never been an independent country. Archives in Beijing, Nanjing and Lhasa containing several million records in Chinese, Tibetan and Manchu substantiate the historical facts of these 700 years. These historical documents and objects fully prove that Tibet is an inseparable part of China's territory. The issue of "Tibet independence" did not appear until the breakout of the Opium War of 1840, which marked the onset of imperialist invasion of China in modern times. At the root of the erroneous concept of "Tibet independence" is the foreign imperialist invasion of China.

 

After the Opium War, China was gradually reduced to the status of a semi-colony. China having been invaded by imperialists, Tibet could hardly avoid the same fate, and in 1888 and 1904 the British imperialism twice invaded Tibet, and forced the Qing government to sign humiliating treaties. It occupied large tracts of land in outer Tibet, and made Yadong, Gyangze and Garyarsa trading cities. These invaders met brave resistance from the patriotic administrator, ordinary people and troops of Tibet, and aroused the ire and condemnation of the Chinese people of various ethnic groups. The British imperialism subsequently changed their tactics, resorting to all manner of gimmicks, treachery and enticements to Tibet's upper classes, with the aim of building up pro-imperialist forces through which to partition Tibet. They trid to separate Tibet from China, and make it a vassal of British colony.

 

In 1910, the 13th Dalai Lama went into exile in India, thereby making it easy for British imperialists to force him to their will. After the 1911 Revolution, the British escorted the 13th Dalai Lama back to Tibet, and in 1913, after careful plotting, the British imperialists convened the Simla Conference in India. At this conference, Britain proposed the divisions of "Inner Tibet" and "Outer Tibet", aiming to control Tibet in its entirety, while gradually nibbling at the Tibetan areas in Sichuan and other provinces. British representatives made a secret agreement with those of Tibet, behind the Chinese representatives' back, drawing the so-called "McMahon Line" in an attempt to capture a large stretch of Chinese territory in return for British support of "Tibet independence." This plot was strongly opposed by the Chinese government.

 

Britain subsequently provoked discord between the Dalai and the Panchen, forcing the 9th Panchen to go into exile in the interior areas. Britain also donated large quantities of weapons and ammunition to Tibet, and instigated the eastward incursion of Tibetan troops with the aim of establishing the "Great Tibet State." In order to put Tibet under its complete control, Britain also induced up-and-coming generals, headed by Carong Dasang Zhamdong, the commander of the Tibetan army, into plotting an armed rebellion with the ultimate aim of seizing political power, but their attempt failed.

 

During this period, Russia and the United States also tried to intervene in China's internal affairs of Tibet, but to no avail. This indicates that any plot to separate Tibet from China is futile. Among "Tibet independence" advocates are those who participated in the imperialist invasion of Tibet, and former serf-owners who cruelly oppressed the Tibetan people. They have published a number of articles and books distorting the history of Tibet, and their arguments are patently groundless.