China Accuses Dalai Lama of Deception Over 'Middle Way' for Tibet

The Chinese government issued a document laying out its vision for Tibet's development, based on "an irresistible historical tide."

The Chinese government published an extensive report on Wednesday in which it denounced the 'Middle Way' approach espoused by the Dalai Lama as an attempt "to create a 'state within a state' on Chinese territory, to be ruled by the 14th Dalai Lama and his supporters, as an interim step towards the ultimate goal of full independence." 

In the document, released by the State Council Information Office and entitled 'Tibet's path of development is driven by an irresistible historical tide,' China says that under its rule, which began in 1950, "Tibet has been transformed from a poor and backward society to one that is advanced in both economy and culture."

"The end of the old system was a historic inevitability," says the White Paper, describing Tibet as having been "a society of theocratic feudal serfdom," prior to its administration. According to the White Paper, since the early 1950s, life expectancy in Tibet has doubled and the rate of illiteracy, which was 95 percent, "has been wiped out."

After justifying Tibet's "Sound Path of Development," the text devotes a chapter to the Dalai Lama's 'Middle Way' approach, entitled "The  Essential Intent of the 'Middle Way' Is to Split China," describing the approach as a veneer for the campaign for Tibetan independence.

"Under the 'Middle Way,' the Dalai group feigns acceptance of China's sovereignty in Tibet to seize the reins of power and set up a semi-independent political regime under the control of the 'Tibetan independence' forces, and ultimately seek full sovereignty and achieve 'Tibetan independence' when its governing power is consolidated," says the White Paper. 

According to the Dalai Lama, the 'Middle Way Approach' aims to resolve the issue of Tibet by treading a middle path between independence for Tibet, and its current status as the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, which he says the Tibetan people "do not accept." At the same time, says the Dalai Lama, "the Tibetan people do not seek independence for Tibet." 

Referring to a statement made by China's central leadership, the White Paper urges the exiled leader, who is 79, to "put aside his illusions in his remaining years and face up to reality," by abandoning his stance on independence and acknowledge that "Tibet has been an integral part of China since antiquity."

"Tibet's path of development is one imposed by history and chosen by the people," conclude the White Paper. "The wheels of history roll forward and the tides of the times are irresistible."