Tibetan Independence

The Question of Tibetan Independence

China has occupied the Tibetan plateau with military force for over 50 years now. The legitimacy of Chinese claims to lawful control over Tibet is an extremely complicated issue, in many ways made more difficult by the unusual relationship Tibet maintained in relation to the international community before 1950. There are several competing considerations regarding Tibet’s rightful status, each to be addressed in turn. A historical account is necessary to address claims that Tibet has always been an integral part of China, as well as to determine what formal arrangements have existed in the past and with what parties. Determining the status of Tibet in international law is a crucial step in evaluating its claims to independence or at least rightful autonomy. The role of the West and the international community in legitimizing a nation’s sovereignty is an open question that must be examined. The possibility exists that a settlement of the issue lies somewhere in between Tibetan independence and the current state of Chinese hegemony. In fact such a solution would be in keeping with some of the historical aspects of the relationship, and has been suggested by the Dalai Lama himself (Little 9). The possibility of Tibetan autonomy short of full independence is an important notion that will be addressed, but this appears to be a pragmatic solution rather than one based in Tibet’s actual rightful standing. A careful examination of the issues at hand indicates that the Chinese occupation should be globally recognized as an illegal invasion of a sovereign state. In general, Chinese claims to rightful territorial control over Tibet are illegitimate.

An initial analysis of the historical si...

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