Autonomy in Tibet

The Law of the People's Republic of China Governing Regional National Autonomy stipulates,
"People's congresses in the areas of national autonomy have the right to formulate regulations on
the exercise of autonomy or specific regulations in accordance with the political, economic and
cultural characteristics of the local nationalities." In accordance with the rights bestowed by the
Law Governing Regional National Autonomy, the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous
Region has since 1965 formulated more than 60 local rules and regulations, decrees, decisions
and resolutions, involving political, economic, cultural and educational aspects, which conform
to the reality of Tibet and maintain the interests of Tibetan people. They include the Rules of
Procedures of the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Procedures on
Formulating Local Laws and Regulations for the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Measures for
the Management of Mining by Collective Mining Enterprises and Individuals in the Tibet
Autonomous Region, the Resolutions on Study, Use and Development of the Tibetan Language
in the Tibet Autonomous Region, the Regulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the
Protection and Management of Cultural Relics, and the Accommodation Rules for the
Implementation of the Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China. The formulation and
implementation of these local rules and regulations have furnished an important legal guarantee
to the realization of democratic rights for the Tibetan people and to the development of local
social, economic and cultural undertakings.

Tibet practices regional national autonomy in accordance with the Constitution of the People's
Republic of China. In March 1955, the central government decided to set up the Preparatory
Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region. In September 1965, the First Session of the First
People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region was held in Lhasa and the establishment of
the Tibet Autonomous Region was officially announced.

All the main leading posts in the people's congresses, governments and people's political
consultative conferences at various levels are filled by Tibetans. Cadres of Tibetan nationality
account for 66.6 percent of the total in Tibet, 71.7 percent at the regional level and 74.8 percent
at the county level.

In judicial activities, in addition to enjoying equal legal rights with the people in other parts of
the country, the Tibetan people have also been granted special rights stipulated in the Law of the
People's Republic of China Governing Regional National Autonomy. The People's Congress of
the Tibet Autonomous Region stipulates, "People's courts and procuratorates at various levels
must guarantee the right of Tibetan citizens to use their own national language to enter a lawsuit.
In cases involving the Tibetans, Tibetan language should be used in doing procuratorial work
and hearing cases, and legal documents should be written in the Tibetan language." At present,
the main officials of the procuratorates and courts at all levels in Tibet are Tibetan citizens.

For several decades, the late 10th Bainqen Erdeni Qoigyi Gyaincan, co-leader of Tibetan
Buddhism with the Dalai Lama, constantly adhered to a patriotic stand and made great
contributions to the peaceful liberation of Tibet, to the struggle against separatism, to the
safeguarding of the unification of the motherland and to the strengthening of the unity of various
ethnic groups. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he served as a vice-
chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and the honorary president of the Buddhist
Association of China. He passed away in January 1989. The government decided to build a holy
stupa and memorial hall for the remains of the 10th Bainqen Erdeni Qoigyi Gyaincan in the
Tashilhunpo Monastery in Xigaze, and hold memorial ceremonies, preserve his body and look
for and choose the reincarnated soul boy to succeed him according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Currently, structures of the holy stupa and the memorial hall are basically completed, and the
search for the child is proceeding smoothly under the charge of Living Buddha Qazha Qamba
Chilai of the Tashilhunpo Monastery

According to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the state practices the ethnic regional
autonomy system in Tibet, which has been established as the Tibet Autonomous Region, and safeguards,
according to law, the political rights of the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet to participate in administration
of state and local affairs on an equal basis, especially the Tibetan people's autonomous right to independently
administer local and ethnic affairs.

Practicing ethnic regional autonomy in areas where people of ethnic minorities live in compact communities is
a major political system of China and a basic policy of the Chinese Government for solving problems relating
to ethnic affairs.

As the organs of self-government, the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress and the Regional
People's Government exercise the power of autonomy according to law. In accordance with the Chinese
Constitution and the Law on Ethnic Regional Autonomy, all areas entitled to ethnic regional autonomy enjoy
the extensive rights of autonomy, involving legislation, the use of local spoken and written languages, the
administration of personnel, the economy, finance, education and culture, the management and development of
natural resources, and other aspects.

The Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress and its Standing Committee -- the local organs of state
power in Tibet -- fully exercise the power of autonomy bestowed by the Constitution and law, and have
actively formulated laws and regulations appropriate to local ethnic and regional characteristics. Between 1965
and 1992 more than 60 local laws and regulations were worked out, such as the Rules of Procedure of the
People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Regulations on the Study, Use and Development
of the Tibetan Language in the Tibet Autonomous Region (for trial implementation). In recent years the
Region has formulated 23 local laws and regulations, made 21 legal decisions, and cleared up or revised 23
laws and regulations involving politics, the economy, culture, education, environmental protection and other
fields, including the Regulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region on Environmental Protection, the
Regulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the Work of Town and Township People's Congresses and
the Regulations on Enhancing the Examination and Supervision of the Implementation of the Laws and
Regulations. In addition, rules for the implementation of 14 national laws and regulations conforming to the
local features of Tibet have been drawn up. The legislative and administrative organs of the Tibet Autonomous
Region have designated the Tibetan New Year, the Sholton and other traditional festivals of the Tibetan ethnic
group as the Region's holidays, in addition to the official national holidays
According to statistics, the number of laws and regulations worked out since 1992 by the People's Congress of
the Tibet Autonomous Region and its Standing Committee to safeguard the interests of the Tibetan people in
light of the actual conditions in Tibet exceeds the total formulated during the 12 years preceding 1992.

The chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress and the
chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region are both citizens of the Tibetan ethnic group. Both the Chinese
Constitution and the Law on Ethnic Regional Autonomy specify that the chairmen or vice-chairmen of the
standing committees of the people's congresses of ethnic autonomous areas shall be citizens of the ethnic group
or groups exercising regional autonomy in the area concerned.

The Chinese Constitution specifies that all ethnic groups have the freedom to use and develop their own
spoken and written languages. China’s Law on Ethnic Regional Autonomy stipulates that in performing their
functions, the organs of self-government of every ethnic autonomous area, in accordance with the regulations
on the exercise of autonomy in those areas, employ the spoken and written languages or languages in common
use in the locality. Accordingly, the Regulations on the Study, Use and Development of the Tibetan Language
(for trial implementation) adopted by the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress clearly specifies that
both Tibetan and Chinese should be used in the Tibet Autonomous Region, with precedence given to the
Tibetan language. The Tibetan language is the common language for the whole autonomous region. The
resolutions, laws, regulations and decrees adopted by the people's congresses, and official documents and
proclamations issued by governments at all levels in the Region are in both Tibetan and Chinese. In court cases
involving Tibetans, the Tibetan language must be used in hearing cases, and legal documents must be written
in the Tibetan language. Newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations also use both Tibetan and
Chinese languages. All signs and marks of government institutions, streets, roads and public facilities are in
both Tibetan and Chinese scripts. Tibetan academic, cultural and art workers have the right to write and
publish their academic or artistic works in their own language.

The implementation of the ethnic regional autonomy system has further guaranteed the political rights of the
Tibetan people, which is in marked contrast to the situation in old Tibet.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Constitution and Electoral Law clearly specify that the National People's Congress,
the highest organ of state power, should include an appropriate number of ethnic minority deputies.

The Electoral Law contains special regulations to promote the election of deputies from among ethnic
minorities. For example, it stipulates that where the total population of an ethnic minority in an area where that
ethnic minority lives in concentrated communities exceeds 30 percent of the total local population, the number
of people represented by each deputy of that ethnic minority shall be equal to the number of people represented
by each of the other deputies to the local people's congress; and that where the total population of an ethnic
minority in such an area is less than 15 percent of the total local population, the number of people represented
by each deputy of that ethnic minority may appropriately be less than the number of people represented by
each of the other deputies to the local people's congress.
Strictly in accordance with the Constitution and laws, the judicial departments of the Tibet Autonomous
Region protect the basic rights and freedoms, and other legal rights and interests of the citizens of all ethnic
groups inTibet. They also protect public property and the lawful private property of the citizens, punish those
law-breakers who endanger society, and maintain social order according to law. Both the crime and
imprisonment rates of the Tibet Autonomous Region are lower than the nation's average. The legal rights of
criminals are protected by law, and those who belong to ethnic minorities or religious sects are not
discriminated against, but due consideration is given to their lifestyles and customs. The government
guarantees the provision of food, clothing, shelter and articles of daily use for prison inmates. Each prison in
Tibet has separate dining facilities and diets for inmates of different ethnic groups and provides for them zanba
(roasted highland barley flour), buttered tea, sweet tea, etc. every month. Each prison has a clinic, and the
number of prison doctors is higher than the nation's average.

No levies have been imposed on the peasants and herdsmen in Tibet since 1980 and there is no compulsory
state purchase of grain there. The income that Tibetan peasants and herdsmen earn is entirely their own.

To ensure a favorable living environment for the people of all ethnic groups and improve their quality of life,
the Tibet Autonomous Region strictly implements the state's laws and regulations concerning environmental
protection. Since 1992 the autonomous region has formulated and promulgated more than 20 local laws and
regulations, and administrative rules on eco-environmental protection, including the Regulations of the Tibet
Autonomous Region on Environmental Protection. In 1990 the Region's first modern environmental
monitoring station was set up inLhasa, which was followed by the Xigaze Environmental Monitoring Station
set up in 1993

So far, the Tibet Autonomous Region has promulgated a dozen regulations,

including the Regulations on the Protection of Cultural Relics, Interim Provisions
on the Administration of Cultural Relics in Monasteries, Regulations on Fire
Prevention at Historical Sites, Interim Provisions on the Administration of
Scattered Cultural Relics and the Measures for the Protection and Administration
of the Potala Palace. These regulations have brought the protection of cultural
relics in Tibet onto the orbit of legalization and standardization.
Such a colossal investment and large-scale renovation were unprecedented in
China's history of cultural relics protection. In recent years, the China Association
for the Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture and other non-
governmental organizations have come into being in a succession, and they are
playing a vigorous role in promoting the protection of Tibetan culture as well as
its development.

The Han-Chinese population makes up more than 90 percent of the total population. The
populations of the other 55 ethnic groups, including the Tibetan people, are relatively small, and
such ethnic groups are customarily called ethnic minorities.
In order to protect the equal and autonomous rights of ethnic minorities, the Chinese
Government, in view of the reality that ethnic-minority people live together over vast areas while
some live in individual concentrated communities in small areas, regards exercise of regional
ethnic autonomy in areas where ethnic minorities live in compact communities as a basic policy
for solving the ethnic issue and a fundamental political system for implementation of the people's
democracy. Regional ethnic autonomy means, under the unified leadership of the state, regional
autonomy is exercised and organs of self-government are established in areas where various
ethnic minorities live in compact communities, so that the people of ethnic minorities are their
own masters exercising the right of self-government to administer local affairs and the internal
affairs of their own ethnic groups.

The Tibet Autonomous Region is one of the five autonomous areas in China at the provincial
level where regional ethnic autonomy is exercised, as well as an ethnic autonomous area with
Tibetans as the main local inhabitants.

To recall the four glorious decades of regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet, and to give an overview
of the Tibetan people's dramatic endeavors to exercise their rights as their own masters and
create a better life under regional ethnic autonomy is beneficial not only to summing up
experiences and creating a new situation for regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet, but also to
clarifying rights and wrongs, and increasing understanding of China's ethnic policy and the truth
about Tibet among the international community.

The "17-Article Agreement" provides that" According to the ethnic policy in the Common
Program of the CPPCC, under the unified leadership of the Central People's Government, the
Tibetan people shall have the right to exercise regional ethnic autonomy." According to the
provisions of the"17-Article Agreement," the Preparatory Group of the Preparatory Committee
for the Tibet Autonomous Region was established in November 1954

In March 1955, the State Council held a special meeting to deliberate and adopt the "Decision of
the State Council on Establishment of the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous
Region," which expressly stipulates that "The Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous
Region shall be responsible for preparatory work for the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous
Region, and an organ with the nature of a political power and accountable to the State Council,
its principal task being to prepare for the exercise of regional ethnic autonomy in accordance
with the provisions of the Constitution, the '17-Article Agreement' and the actual situation of
Tibet

The establishment of the Preparatory Committee enabled Tibet to have a consultative work organ
with the nature of a political power, and vigorously promoted the realization of regional ethnic
autonomy in Tibet.

The Central Government will not use coercion to implement such a reform, and it is to be carried
out by the Tibetan local government on its own; when the people demand reform, the matter
should be settled by way of consultation with the leading personnel of Tibet."
dismissal of the original local government of Tibet, and empowered the Preparatory Committee
for the Tibet Autonomous Region to exercise the functions and powers of the local government
of Tibet, with the 10th Panchen Lama as its acting chairman. The Central People's Government
and the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region led the Tibetan people in
quickly quelling the rebellion, implemented the Democratic Reform, overthrew the feudal
serfdom under theocracy, and abolished the feudal hierarchic system, the relations of personal
dependence, and all savage punishments.

The People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region has the power to enact local regulations
enjoyed by an ordinary administrative region at the provincial level and the power to enact
regulations on the exercise of autonomy as well as separate regulations in light of the political,
economic and cultural characteristics of the ethnic group or ethnic groups in the region

It should be recognized that regional ethnic autonomy has only been instituted in Tibet for a
short time, and it needs to be improved and developed in the course of implementation.

However, the basic fact is that in the nearly 40 years since Tibet adopted regional ethnic
autonomy, it has turned from an extremely backward feudal serfdom into a modern socialist
people's democracy, and during this process it has recorded rapid economic growth and all-round
social progress and steadily narrowed the gap between it and other regions of China

It is thought-provoking that the Dalai clique, disregarding the fact that the Tibetan people have
become masters of their own affairs and enjoyed full democratic rights and extensive economic,
social and cultural rights, has constantly attacked Tibet's regional ethnic autonomy, in the
international arena, as being "devoid of essential contents," and proposed the institution of "one
country, two systems" and "a high degree of autonomy" in Tibet, after the model of Hong Kong
and Macao. This argument is totally untenable. The regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet the Dalai
clique attacks is the very regional ethnic autonomy for Tibet which the 14th Dalai supported and
for whose preparation he was involved in. While preparing for the establishment of the Tibet
Autonomous Region, the Central Government conducted full consultation with the Dalai and
Panchen and other members of the upper strata in Tibet. In 1956, the Preparatory Committee for
the Tibet Autonomous Region was established, with the Dalai as the chairman. In his opening
speech at the inaugural meeting, he said, "The establishment of the Preparatory Committee for
the Tibet Autonomous Region indicates that the work in the Tibet region has entered upon a
brand-new stage." In his report at the inaugural meeting he again declared that "The
establishment of the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region is not only timely
but also necessary" and that "we wholeheartedly support the policies of regional ethnic
autonomy, ethnic equality and unity and protection for the freedom of religious belief
implemented by the Communist Party of China and the Central People's Government." The
Dalai's attack against the regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet runs counter not only to the reality of
present-day Tibet but also to the words he once uttered in all seriousness.

The Hong Kong and Macao issue was a product of imperialist aggression against China; it was
an issue of China's resumption of exercise of its sovereignty. Since ancient times Tibet has been
an inseparable part of Chinese territory, where the Central Government has always exercised
effective sovereign jurisdiction over the region. So the issue of resuming exercise of sovereignty
does not exist. With the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, Tibet had fundamentally extricated
itself from the fetters of imperialism

Any act aimed at undermining and changing the regional ethnic autonomy in Tibet is in violation
of the Constitution and law, and it is unacceptable to the entire Chinese people, including the
broad masses of the Tibetan people

It must be pointed out that the local government of Tibet headed by the Dalai representing feudal
serfdom under theocracy has long since been replaced by the democratic administration
established by the Tibetan people themselves. The destiny and future of Tibet can no longer be
decided by the Dalai Lama and his clique. Rather, it can only be decided by the whole Chinese
nation, including the Tibetan people. This is an objective political fact in Tibet that cannot be
denied or shaken. The Central Government's policy as regards the Dalai Lama is consistent and
clear. It is hoped that the Dalai Lama will look reality in the face, make a correct judgment of the
situation, truly relinquish his stand for "Tibet independence," and do something beneficial to the
progress of China and the region of Tibet in his remaining years.

On March 28, 1959, the State Council announced that the government of Tibet was
dissolved. The Qamdo People’s Liberation Committee and the Panchen Kampus
Assembly were also abolished, thus ending the coexistence of political powers of
different nature. Under the leadership of the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet
Autonomous Region, people’s governments were gradually set up at various levels. In
mid-July, 1959, the first township-level peasants’ association, known as the Peasants’
Association of Khesum Village, and the first county-level peasants’ association, known
as the Peasants’ Association of Nedong County, were established. Former serfs were
elected as chairs or members of the associations, leading the people to conduct
democratic reform. By the end of 1960, Tibet had established 1,009 organs of state power
at township level, 283 at district level, 78 at county level and eight at prefecture (city)
level. The number of officials from Tibetan and other minority ethnic groups totaled over
10,000. More than 4,400 liberated serfs became officials at community level. In the
second half of 1961, a general election was held all over Tibet. For the first time, the
former serfs were no longer regarded as “speaking tools”, and emerged on the political
stage as the masters of the new Tibet.
The regional government has issued a series of local regulations, including the
Regulations of the Tibet Autonomous Region for Environmental Protection, Regulations
of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric
Pollution, and Measures of the Tibet Autonomous Region on the Supervision and
Administration of Ecological and Environmental Protection; released measures for
implementing state laws and regulations, such as the Regulations of the People’s
Republic of China on Nature Reserves, Water Law of the People’s Republic of China,
Law of the People’s Republic of China on Water and Soil Conservation, and Grassland
Law of the People’s Republic of China; and guiding opinions such as the Opinions on
Building a Beautiful Tibet and the Opinions on Building a National Eco-Barrier and
Accelerating Ecological Progress.
All of these have provided a legal basis for developing nature and wetland reserves,
protecting wild fauna and flora, conserving and managing water resources, conserving
water and soil, preventing and controlling desertification, returning farmland and
pastureland to woods and grassland, and protecting grassland ecology. In 2017, the
regional government issued the Decision to Promote Greening by Tree-Planting and
Afforestation, which proposed that every person should plant an average of five trees,
and that all households and villages should take part in tree-planting.
Currently all the major rivers and lakes in Tibet remain in their natural state, 95.7 percent of key waters
have reached the national water standards, 97.5 percent of days are rated as “excellent” or “good” in
terms of air quality, and ratings of air quality in the Qomolangma region are being maintained at either
“excellent” or “good”, with Grade I air quality

The state issued the Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living
Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism in 2007 to further institutionalize the reincarnation process
of Living Buddhas. In 1992 the State Administration for Religious Affairs approved the
succession of the 17th Living Buddha Karmapa. Through traditional religious rituals and
historical conventions like drawing lots from a golden urn, the search for and
identification of the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama was carried out. With the
approval of the State Council, the title of 11th Panchen Lama was conferred and he was
enthroned in 1995. In 2000 the Seventh Regent Reting Rinpoche was enthroned in
accordance with traditional religious rituals and historical conventions; in 2010 the Sixth
Living Buddha Dezhub was nominated and enthroned through the drawing of lots from a
golden urn and with the approval of the government of Tibet Autonomous Region. By
2018, 91 incarnated Living Buddhas had been confirmed through traditional religious
rituals and historical conventions.