Tibet is a better place than it used to be

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Tibet is a better place than it used to be

July 26th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Today, Tibetan people are masters of the Tibet Autonomous Region. They no
longer have to worry about livelihood. They all have equal access to
education of Tibetan language and culture. Much effort is going into further
developing Tibetan culture and art. For instance, the Epic of King Gesar is
a heroic cycle dating from the 12th century and passed down verbally. In
recent years it has been recorded in writing so that it will last forever.

Tibetan culture is not closed. It needs exchanges with the outside world.
Certain material conditions are required for such exchanges. Improved
transport links is one of them. More than five decades ago, Tibet had
neither highway nor railway. Today a highway network centring on Lhasa has
been put in place. Its reach is in excess of 20,000 kilometres. The
Qinghai-Tibet railway climbs over the Kunlun Mountain towering at 4,600
metres. It has one of the most stunning views of any railway in the world.
Nearly 50 million people have travelled to and from Tibet this way. There
are also air links between Tibet, and more than 10 Chinese and foreign
cities. Last year alone, Tibet received around 8.7 million tourists from
home and abroad. At the same time, more and more Tibetan artists travel
widely across China and around the world spreading Tibetan culture.

History shows that interactions among different ethnic groups and regions
contribute to cultural exchanges and progress. Han Buddhism is an import.
Yet it has a huge influence on the Chinese culture. Tibetan Buddhism is also
of foreign origin. It is Buddhism adapted to take in some elements of the
native Bon religion. Like all Buddhism it originated from India over 2,000
years ago. These are the proof that cultures advance through exchanges and
mutual learning. Labelling cultural exchanges as “extinguishing Tibetan
culture” is either a worrying misunderstanding or purposeful distortion of
facts. In this connection, the Dalai Lama’s proposal to drive all other
ethnic groups out of Tibet is as ridiculous as allowing only Scottish people
to live in Scotland while rejecting all others from England, Wales and
Northern Ireland.

Today’s Tibet is a fascinating place to visit, yet no longer distant. Tibetan
culture is as special as ever, yet no longer mysterious. Maybe I should
return to Tibet on my vacation next year.

Liu Xiaoming is Chinese ambassador to Britain