Tibet has a unique mountainous geography and shares borders with China, India, Nepal and Bhutan. There are two distinct views on Tibet's relationship with China - China claims Tibet has always been part of China while Tibet asserts it was historically an independent country. Tibet's strategic location means its political status affects regional geopolitics, especially relations between China and India. The future of Tibet depends on resolving these geopolitical issues as well as empowering Tibetan youth both within Tibet and living abroad.

1. GEO - POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE: TIBET

2. Contents:
• Geography of Tibet




Mountains
Lakes
Rivers
Natural Resources
• Tibet and China : Two Distinct Views
• Strategic Importance of Tibet
 Tibet in Indo-China Relations
• Future: The Road Ahead

3. Geography of Tibet
CENTRAL CHINA PLAIN
Kashmir
Region of
India
TIBET
NEPAL, INDIA, BHUTAN

5. Gurla Mandhata

6. Gyachung Kang

7. Mount Kailash

8. Namcha Barwa

20. Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon

21. RIVERS
ORIGINATING
FROM

29. TWO DISTINCT VIEWS
The Chinese Version:
Tibet a part of China.
The Royal wedding
The claim in the “White Paper”.
During Manchu Rule
17 point agreement.

30. The Tibetan Version:
Tibet a free country
The treaty in 821 AD.
The Royal wedding
The Qing Emperor’s respect for 5th Dalai Lama
During Manchu Rule
Gun point agreement.

31. Result of China’s Invasion into Tibet
Before
After

32. Strategic Importance of
Tibet

35. Tibet in Sino-Indian Relations

36. Factors affecting the
relations
Border Dispute after China’s invasion of Tibet
Feeling of Insecurity for India due to infrastructural development in
Tibet by China
Presence of Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan population
China’s aggressive territorial claims and its nexus with Pakistan
Historical Mistrust and a sense of complex

37. The way forward
Tibet
- The world is least bothered
- India’s biggest concern
- China’s check for south Asia (India)
The future of Tibet is in the hands of its youth living inside and
outside Tibet
The future of Sino-Indian relations also depends on this.

38. The Agreement of The Central People’s
Government and the Local Government of Tibet
on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet
1. The Tibetan people shall unite and drive out
imperialist aggressive forces from Tibet. The Tibetan people shall
return to the family of the motherland, the People’s Republic of
China.
2. The local government of Tibet shall actively
assist the People’s Liberation Army to enter Tibet and consolidate
the national defence.

39. 3. In accordance with the policy towards nationalities laid down in
the Common Programme of the Chinese Political Consultative
Conference, the Tibetan people have the right to exercise national
regional autonomy under the unified leadership of the Central
People’s Government.
4. The central authorities will not alter the existing political system
in Tibet. The central authorities also will not alter the established
status, functions and powers of the Dalai Lama. Officials of
various ranks will hold office as usual.
5. The established status, functions and powers of the Bainqen
Erdini shall be maintained.

40. 6. By the established status, functions and powers of the Dalai
Lama and of Bainqen Erdini are meant the status, functions and
powers of 13th Dalai Lama and the 9th Bainqen when they were in
friendly and amicable relations with each other.
7.
The policy of freedom of religious belief laid down in the
Common Programme of the Chinese Political Consultative
Conference shall be carried out. The religious beliefs, customs
and habits of the Tibetan people shall be respected and lama
monasteries shall be protected. The central authorities will not
effect a change in the income of the monasteries.
8.
Tibetan troops shall be recognized by stages into the
People’s Liberation Army and become a part of the national
defence forces of the People’s Republic of China.

41. 9.
The spoken and written language and school education of
the Tibetan nationality shall be developed step by step in
accordance with the actual conditions in Tibet.
10. Tibetan agriculture, livestock raising, industry and commerce
shall be improved step by step and the people’s livelihood shall be
improved step by step in accordance with the actual conditions in
Tibet.
11.
In matters related to various reforms in Tibet there will be
no compulsion on the part of the central authorities. The Local
Government of Tibet should carry out reforms of its own accord
and demands for reform raised by the people shall be settled by
means of consultation with the leading personnel of Tibet.

42. 12 .
In so far as former pro-imperialist and pro-Kuomingtang
officials resolutely sever relations with imperialism and the
Kuomingtang and do not engage in sabotage or resistance, they
may continue to hold office irrespective of their past.
13. The People’s Liberation Army entering Tibet shall abide by all
the above-mentioned policies and shall also be fair in all buying
and selling and shall not arbitrarily take a single needle and thread
from the people.

43. 14.
The Central People’s Government shall conduct the
centralized handling of all external affairs of Tibet and there will be
peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries and the
establishment and development of fair commercial and trading
relations with them on the basis of equality, mutual benefit for
territory and sovereignty.
15. In order to ensure the implementation of this agreement, the
Central People’s Government shall set up a military and
administrative committee and a military area headquarters in Tibet
and apart from the personnel sent there by the Central People’s
Government shall absorb as many local Tibetan personnel as
possible to take part in the work.

44. 16. Funds needed by the military and administrative committee
the military area headquarters and the People’s Liberation Army
entering Tibet shall be provided by the Central People’s
Government. The Local Government of Tibet will assist the
People’s Liberation Army in the purchase and transport of food,
fodder and other daily necessities.
17.
This agreement shall come into force immediately after
signature and seals are affixed to it.

45. 16. Funds needed by the military and administrative committee
the military area headquarters and the People’s Liberation Army
entering Tibet shall be provided by the Central People’s
Government. The Local Government of Tibet will assist the
People’s Liberation Army in the purchase and transport of food,
fodder and other daily necessities.
17.
This agreement shall come into force immediately after
signature and seals are affixed to it.
Signed in Beijing on the 23rd of May 1951.

46. Books to be Read
1.
Diane Wolff, “Tibet Unconquered: An Epic Struggle for
Freedom” Palgrave Macmillan 2010.
2. VP Malhotra, “Tibetan Conundrum”, Knowledge World,
2006.
3. SK Sharma, “History and Geography of Tibet”,
Publications.
Anmol
4.
Brahma Chellaney, “Water: Asia’s New battleground”,
Amazon.com.