Tibet is now in its golden age: China’s white paper
DHARAMSALA, Sep 7: China has released yet another white paper on Sunday, days after the Central Tibetan Administration led by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay issued its response to a white paper published earlier in April this year and to statements made by top Chinese leaders at the recently held 6th Tibet Work Forum.
Calling regional ethnic autonomy a fundamental political system under socialism with Chinese characteristics to solve problems relating to ethnic minorities, the white paper titled, “Successful Practice of Regional Ethnic Autonomy in Tibet” issued by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China, sticks to the usual Chinese government rhetoric of calling “pre-liberation” Tibet as dark and backward, and lauding economic and social developmental path undertaken by the Chinese government in Tibet.
Tibet’s GDP soared from 327 million yuan in 1965 to 92.08 billion yuan (14.5 bln U.S. dollars) in 2014, a 281-fold increase, said the white paper.
Stating that Tibetan people’s right to freedom of religion, Tibetan language learning and the environment are protected under the regional ethnic autonomy system, the white paper claimed that “Tibet is now in its golden age”.
The paper also condemned the “14th Dalai Lama clique” for plotting towards Tibetan independence through calls for middle way approach and projected it as negating regional ethnic autonomy and its contributions in Tibet.
“The Region’s ethnic autonomy helps people of all ethnic groups in Tibet become their own masters and enjoy full democratic and extensive economic, social and cultural rights. Over the years, the 14th Dalai Lama clique, in plotting towards “Tibetan independence,” has constantly preached the “middle way,” peddled the concept of a “Greater Tibet,” and lobbied for “a high degree of autonomy,” so negating regional ethnic autonomy and its contribution to Tibet’s progress,” the white paper says in its conclusion and adds, “The 14th Dalai group’s separatist activities violate the Constitution of China and its state system, and greatly damage the fundamental interests of all ethnic groups in Tibet, which is why they have met strong opposition from all Chinese people, including those of all ethnic groups in Tibet, and hence why they are doomed to fail.”
The paper also reiterated the officially atheist Communist Party’s right to control the process of reincarnation.
“Reincarnation is a succession system unique to Tibetan Buddhism, and is respected by the state and governments at different levels of the autonomous region, the state having issued the Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism,” the paper said.
The Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness had on numerous occasions mocked the atheist Chinese regime for their claims over the right to choose his succession and even suggested that he might be the last Dalai Lama in an attempt to thwart China’s desire and design to control the future of Tibet through the institution of the Dalai Lama.
When asked by Reuters at a press conference on Sunday on the status of Panchen Lama, a Chinese government official Norbu Dundup of the Tibet Autonomous Region’s United Front Work Department said: “The reincarnated child Panchen Lama you mentioned is being educated, living a normal life, growing up healthily and does not wish to be disturbed”.
“No matter what the Dalai Lama says or does, the central government’s recognized rights toward reincarnation cannot be denied,” Norbu Dundup added.
Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was taken into custody by Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, just days after he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and appointed Gyaltsen Norbu as their choice instead. However, loyalty of the Tibetans lie with the one chosen by the 80-yr-old Tibetan Nobel laureate and spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama.