The Real Tibet
In Foreign Policy Christina Larson provides a useful reminder that Tibet is no 'Shangri-La'. My own experience traveling through Tibetan parts of Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces confirms this; Tibetans aren't the enlightened, beatific race imagined by the region's more fervent supporters.
Yet the Tibetans are, in fact, Tibetan and not Chinese. China likes to tell the world that it alone among the great powers eschews colonial expansion, a narrative that sells well with the patriotic masses. But the simple fact remains is that periodically throughout history, China has established suzerainty over Tibet in order to form a buffer zone with other powers as well as to exploit the region's abundant resources.
More recently, China has invested greatly in Tibet's infrastructure in order to link the region to the rest of the country, both physically and culturally. Likewise, Beijing provides incentives for Han Chinese to migrate to Tibet as a means to dilute the area's demographic makeup and guard against organized rebellion.
China's actions are by no means unprecedented. Great powers have long made incursions into strategically important territories on their periphery. Yet the notion that China is different- exceptional, if you will- because it does not behave as a colonial power is central to the national narrative promulgated by the Communist Party. Such a narrative helps inspire a sense of patriotism among the population, essential in maintaining national unity.
So while it appears on the surface that the Dalai Lama is winning the global public relations battle over Tibet over Beijing, it is important to recognize that China prizes a different battlefield- domestic opinion. As a result, I don't expect editorials in the China Daily railing against the Dalai clique to cease anytime soon.
February 17th, 2010 - 18:09
Interesting post! Thanks for sharing. I find myself in general agreement with your opinions but for one: That the Dalai Lama is winning the PR fight with Beijing.
This was unquestionably the case until very very recently. But since the 2008 riots in Tibet there has been an ever growing backlash in two forms: internet nationalism- angry Chinese government supporters who recycle the same old statements about ‘the west’ not understanding China; and political cowardice/ lack of integrity from several governments who had, until recently, been happy to meet with the Dalai Lama or maintain official policies that insisted China would work with the Dalai Lama’s representatives to resolve the situation.
Of course there are also many westerners who, pointing out as you do that Tibet was never a Shangri-La, believe that Tibet is better off being oppressed by its neighbor.