‘China must change for the Tibetan Middle Way to succeed’

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ICT President Matteo Mecacci welcomes meeting participants. (Photo courtesy: ICT)
ICT President Matteo Mecacci welcomes meeting participants. (Photo courtesy: ICT)

(TibetanReview.net, Oct25, 2014) – “It is difficult to have a breakthrough on China-Tibet relation at this moment. However, the Middle Way, in long run, is the best way to solve political issues we face today,” reported Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) Oct 23, summarizing an Oct 17 roundtable discussion on the Tibet issue among Chinese intellectuals. The discussion was jointly organized in Washington, DC, by the ICT and Beijing Spring magazine.

The report said a number of Chinese scholars and writers, including Su Xiaokang, Chen Kuide, Xia Yeliang, and Qin Weiping, took part in the discussion, which was held in Chinese and was moderated by Hu Ping and Yu Dahai of Beijing Spring magazine. The discussion focused on the Middle Way and dialogue on Tibet.

The Chinese intellectuals have said that while the conditions for Middle Way to solve Tibet issue are not present in China yet, it will be easily accepted by the Chinese masses if they only know the truth. They have also said that the ‘One Country Two Systems’ which is being implemented in Hong Kong today was based on policy originally used for Tibet in the early 1950s but that the Communist Government of China does not keep its promises.

The Chinese intellectuals have also said that the biggest problem today remains the ban on any academic discussion of Tibet related issues based on the truth. “Chinese Government does not allow scholars to study the Tibet issue, Tibetan history or the current situation in Tibet freely. There are few Chinese scholars who study Tibetan history and Tibet issue.”

The Chinese government is also seen as perceiving the Tibet issue as a threat to the ruling power and hence does not want to resolve it. The Chinese intellectuals believe that the biggest obstacle for Middle Way is the Chinese political system and culture which emphasizes great unity and political tradition; they suggest that the federal system represents the best way forward for accommodating the Tibetans’ Middle Way aspiration.

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