By PRANAY SHARMA
New Delhi, August 23 – China has finally decided to celebrate Tibet’s “annexation” in public.
More than four decades after it sent the Red Army to take control of Lhasa, Beijing has decided to hold a week-long festival in world capitals starting on September 6 to celebrate the anniversary of Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR).
China never admits to the annexation, arguing that Tibet had traditionally been a part of the country and that Beijing re-affirmed its claim after the People’s Republic was formed.
TAR was set up in 1965, six years after the Dalai Lama had escaped to India following differences with the Chinese leadership on the status of Tibet.
The 40th anniversary celebrations will be organised in Chinese embassies across the world, including in New Delhi. This will be the first time China will celebrate any big Tibet event in India. Sources said the aim is to “showcase” the progress and economic development in TAR under the Chinese Communist Party, and counter allegations hurled by the West that Beijing treats Tibet as an occupied land.
Beijing’s growing ties with Delhi and India’s acceptance of Tibet as an autonomous region of China are an important factor in the decision to hold a public celebration. The Indian leadership has said it will not allow its territories to be used for anti-China activities.
Another factor is the steady progress in talks between China and representatives of the Dalai Lama. Since 2002, when the talks began, Beijing and Dalai Lama’s envoys have had four rounds of talks, the last one in the Swiss city of Berne. All the previous talks were held in China.
That the Chinese agreed to hold the talks in a neutral venue is an indication of Beijing’s confidence on Tibet.
China had started opening up Tibet for foreign visitors a few years ago, when it invited diplomats based in Beijing on tour of Lhasa and other parts of TAR. In subsequent years, it has organised tours by journalists, including groups from India and Nepal. But this will be the first time it will celebrate TAR’s anniversary in territories outside China in a big public display.
The Berne talks, held between June 30 and July 1, were cordial and progressed well. The Dalai Lama has indicated through his emissaries that he would like to visit Tibet once in his lifetime.
