CHINA / National

'One country, two systems' not for Tibet
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-29 09:33

An article, recently published on the website of China Tibet Information Center, condemns Dalai Lama's attempts to refute the current political system in Tibet, insisting that "one country, two systems" is not possible for Tibet.

The signed article, written by Yedor, has analyzed the "middle way", advocated by Dalai Lama in recent years, pointing out that any endeavor to destroy and change the current political system in Tibet runs counter to the Constitution and law of China.

Dalai Lama has said Tibet should achieve "high-level autonomy" or "real autonomy" according to the "one country, two systems" principle, and the scope of "autonomy" should be larger than that for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao.

Meanwhile, he argues that "a Tibetan government should be set up in Lhasa and should have an elected administrative chief and possess a bicameral legislative organ and an independent judicial system".

In November 2005, the Dalai Lama said in the United States: "The Central Government should take care of defense and foreign affairs, because the Tibetans have no experience in this regard, but the Tibetans should have full responsibility for education, economic development, environmental protection and religion".

This is obviously different from what he claims for Tibet to work "within the framework of the Chinese Constitution" in his advocacy for the "middle way", says the article.

The white paper entitled National Regional Autonomy in Tibet issued by Chinese government in 2004 made it clear that, unlike Hong Kong and Macao, Tibet is not faced with question related to the exercise of sovereignty and the possibility of re-introducing another social system.

Any endeavor to destroy and change the current political system in Tibet runs counter to the Constitution and law of China.

It is known to all that the "one country, two systems" refers to the fact that the mainland follows the socialist system while Hong Kong and Macao continue to follow the capitalist system they had followed before, the article says.

However, no capitalist system existed in Tibetan history; what was followed in the region was a feudal serfdom featuring temporal religious administration, says the article.

In its own "constitution of Tibet in exile", Dalai Lama advocates the reintroduction of the old system featuring "temporal religious administration". According to the system, Dalai Lama is the government and religious leader enjoying the final say on major matters, says the article.

When Dalai Lama fled overseas, his government in exile continued to follow the old system, with the role of chief Galoon, or "premier", of the government in exile continuing to be assumed by a high-ranking lama.

"These are the people who are advocating the 'one country, two systems' approach for Tibet. What they can do? Only restore the feudal serfdom, and nothing else," the article adds.

'Enlarged Tibet autonomous region' pursued by Dalai not exists

The so-called "enlarged Tibet autonomous region" pursued by Dalai Lama does not exist and runs counter to the law that governs the development of various ethnic groups in China, says an article published on the website of China Tibet Information Center recently.

The signed article, written by Yedor, has analyzed the "middle way", advocated by Dalai Lama in recent years, pointing out there is no ground for the establishment of an "enlarged Tibet".

Dalai Lama persists in bringing together the areas where people of the Tibetan ethnic group live to form an "enlarged Tibet autonomous region" which would cover one-fourth of Chinese territory, the article says.

People with knowledge of Chinese history know that, the Tibetan-inhabited areas outside Tibet had never been put under the rule of the local government of Tibet, the article says.

Dalai Lama admitted in recent years the fact that the former government of Tibet had never ruled the Tibetan-inhabited areas outside today's Tibet Autonomous Region.

However, he argued that "it is hard to retain the features of the Tibetan race if there are people of the Tibetan ethnic group living outside Tibet".

He then declared the need to establish "a Tibetan entity where all people of the Tibetan ethnic group live".

The article says it is the fact that one ethnic group in China may be found in different administrative regions and one administrative region may be home to several ethnic groups. This is the result of historical changes and constitutes a salient feature of the relations between different ethnic groups in China.

While people of the Tibetan ethnic group living in various Tibetan-inhabited areas in China retain the same Tibetan characteristics and maintain close ties especially in religion and culture, they speak different languages and have different habits. In the meantime, they maintain close ties politically, economically and culturally, the article said.

If all of the 55 ethnic minorities in China founded their own unified autonomous areas, there would be conflicts between various ethnic groups and social disorder in China. All these would be a bane for the economic and cultural development of these ethnic groups, says the article.

One can not see much relations between the "enlarged Tibet autonomous region" and efforts to protect the Tibetan features. However, it is easy for one to see Dalai Lama's ulterior motive: eventually seeking Tibetan independence, the article stresses.

 
 

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