Uncovering separatist ambition disguised by lies, the conspiracy of the Dalai clique

Editor's note: Xia Lu, a special commentator for CGTN, is a research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy of Renmin University of China and deputy dean of the School of Marxism Studies at Xinjiang University. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

In the feudal serf system with Caesaropapism being its nature in old Xizang, southwest China, the vast number of poor serfs and enslaved people were in a miserable situation of exploitation and oppression. In 1951, the peaceful liberation brought new opportunities for Xizang's development. However, the remnants of the former serf lord class, represented by the 14th Dalai Lama, were unwilling to change the feudal serf system, which maintained their privileges, and began to plan separatist activities. In July 1957, the 14th Dalai Lama, who was also the vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress(NPC), openly accepted the "golden throne" presented by the rebel organization named "Four Rivers and Six Ranges" and returned gifts to the 500 delegates present, which greatly incited the separatist rebellion.

On March 10, 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama clique openly tore up the 17-Article Agreement that was signed by the central government and local administration in 1951 and launched a full-scale armed separatist rebellion. They colluded with foreign anti-China forces in a vain attempt to rely on external forces to achieve the so-called Xizang independence. On the evening of March 17, the 14th Dalai Lama clique fled to India. In June 1959, the Dalai Lama issued a statement saying that "Xizang has actually always been independent" and openly betrayed the motherland and engaged in separatist activities. Since then, the Dalai clique has been engaged in activities abroad for a long time in an attempt to separate Xizang from China.

In 1959, democratic reforms in Xizang completely overthrew the feudal serfdom system and the practice of Caesaropapism, and millions of serfs turned from "talking tools" into masters of the country, society, and their own destiny. This most extensive and profound social change has opened a modernization journey for Xizang that spanned thousands of years in just a few decades. It also allowed the smear and lies of foreign anti-China forces to break without attack. Following the epoch-making democratic reforms in 1959, the Xizang Autonomous Region was founded in September 1965, which signaled a historic shift from feudal serfdom to socialism characterized by people's democracy.

Since the democratic reforms in 1959 and the founding of the Xizang Autonomous Region in 1965, the region has begun to exercise comprehensive regional ethnic autonomy, ensuring that people of all ethnic groups are the masters of the country and of society, unleashing their initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity in driving development. Xizang has taken improving people's livelihoods and strengthening national identity as its core commitment, especially since entering the new era, and the people's livelihood security network has become increasingly dense. 

The region's GDP reached 276.5 billion yuan (about $38.7 billion) in 2024, which is 155 times that of 1965, and the average life expectancy has risen to 72.5 years, up from 35.5 years in the 1950s. In the field of education, the inclusive rate of preschool education reached 100 percent in 2024, with the consolidation rate of compulsory education at 97.86 percent and the placement rate of school-age children and adolescents with disabilities exceeding 97 percent. 

In terms of medical care, Xizang local medicine has flourished, and free clinics in grassroots areas have normalized coverage of urban and rural areas. The social security system has also become more comprehensive; the double centralized support center in the Ali area allows the elderly to enjoy professional care, and the job market is full of vitality. These "visible and tangible" transformations have made the people of all ethnic groups feel a real sense of gain and happiness.

But some foreign anti-China forces ignore these achievements and concoct false narratives such as the so-called Xizang cultural genocide and forced labor. However, the fact is that local language and writing in Xizang are widely used, and intangible cultural heritage, such as Xizang local medicine and thangka, has been systematically protected and inherited. People of all ethnic groups in Xizang voluntarily choose to work, whether in planting or modern service industries, and make independent choices based on their own wishes.

From the feudal serf society to the modern new Xizang, the miracle of Xizang's development is an example of successful outcomes under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and a vivid footnote to the system of regional ethnic autonomy. Smears from certain foreign countries cannot stop Xizang's progress, let alone hide the fact that Xizang, in the new era, with its social stability, economic prosperity, and improvement of people's livelihoods, is steadily moving forward along the path of Chinese-style modernization, and this is the most powerful counterattack to all smears.

With the continuous enhancement of China's comprehensive national strength, the international community has a deeper understanding of China's governance, and more and more countries recognize that Xizang is an inalienable part of China's territory and that the so-called Xizang independence is an illegal claim that runs counter to historical trends and international law. At the same time, the Chinese government resolutely opposes any form of separatist acts and has taken a series of effective measures to safeguard national unity. In Xizang, sustained and rapid economic development, a stable social situation, and people's improved livelihoods are the most powerful response to the Dalai clique and Western anti-China forces.