Why time is ripe to shun ‘One-China policy’

The recent signing of the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ by the US has renewed the focus on Tibet and Tibetan issues concerning China. While the US has extended its support for ‘One China Policy’ earlier, which literally means recognising all erstwhile countries captured by China that Beijing annexed as part of its expansionist agenda, new contours of this policy are emerging lately.

On one hand, the US is supporting Taiwan being claimed by China as part of one China policy, and at the same time, the US is also supporting Tibet by multiple means. As of now, the public stance taken by the US on Taiwan relates to ‘non use of force’ by China to occupy Taiwan, but it is OK if the Taiwanese people wish to unify with mainland China of their own free will. In a similar manner, it is advocating the negotiated settlement to resolve the Tibet issue. Though the US has not clearly denounced its ‘One China Policy’, its actions on Taiwan and Tibet clearly indicate the weaning support for ‘One China Policy’.

This is therefore prudent to have a look at the evolution of Tibet as a sovereign state. A sovereign state as per international norms needs to have a permanent population, defined territory, a government of its own that is not under another government authority, and the capacity to interact with other states on its own free will. Tibet had all these four ingredients of a sovereign state—population, territory, government, and sovereignty—from as early as the seventh century AD, when the Emperor Songtsen Gampo created the unified state of Tibet.

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In fact, China and Nepal married their princess to him due to his powerful stature. Tibet captured part of China, which was followed by the boundary settlement of 783 AD and then later in 821 AD, clearly establishing Tibet as a sovereign state since then.

Even thereafter, while Tibet has been able to maintain cordial relations with almost all neighbours, including Mongol Emperors (1240–1350), Ming Emperors (368–1644), and the Quing Dynasty (639–1911), with a primary focus on the priest-patron relationship wherein Tibetans have been ruling their land independently.

A historic connection to Tibet exists not only in the form of the British India-Tibet relationship but both prior to this and after this as well. It is essential to understand this, as this India-Tibet relationship of equilibrium was comprehensively disrupted by the current Chinese regime, which forcibly occupied Tibetan land in 1950-51 and continues to occupy the same till date. In the process, the tranquil borders between India and Tibet have been converted into a Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

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The Quing Dynasty has been one of the most powerful dynasties occupying China. Even though they entered Tibet three times in their regime, but only after being asked for help in 1728 AD, 1752 AD, and 1792 AD in response to the priest-patron relationship. It was for the first time in 1908 AD that Manchus (Quing Dynasty) attacked Tibet to checkmate the increasing British influence. This resulted in the 13th Dalai Lama fleeing from Tibet and taking refuge in India, wherein he stayed in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. He also terminated the priest-patron relationship with the Quing Dynasty, as the patron itself had attacked the state of priest. With the Quing Dynasty collapsing in 1912, the 13th Dalai Lama proclaimed independence on 14 February 1913, which continued till 1950-51 when Tibet was forcibly occupied by the current regime of China.

Therefore, it clearly emerges that Tibet has never been part of China, and the current status indicates the forced occupation of a sovereign state by China. Not only has China occupied Tibet, it is expanding the areas under its occupation on a regular basis, while India has gone all out to support China since it came into being on October 1, 1949. India’s signing of the Panchsheel agreement, responding to the slogan to Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai, and many other actions are testimony to this support.

As against this, China not only betrayed India in 1962, capturing large tracts in Indian areas of Aksai Chin and smaller tracts in other border areas. Indians’ effort to establish peaceful relations through bilateral agreements and confidence-building measures failed comprehensively when China transgressed at a number of locations on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in 2020.

The current situation requires a new approach, as it affects India for its own security concerns. In case there is further delay to checkmate the expansionist agenda of China, it will become a serious security challenge in the future.

With the US and West understanding the Chinese design and its agenda, they have already initiated a host of measures to check the unhindered rise of China, which appears to be attempting to dislodge the US from its pole position. The passage of the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ by the US and the initiation of a large number of other measures are naturally aligned with Indian interests. India needs to take some or all of the following actions:

• Sign a boundary agreement with the Tibetan Government in Exile aligned to its own claim line.

• Mount diplomatic offensive to get ‘Free Tibet Act’ passed by the US as a UN resolution.

• Support all governments in exile, like East Turkestan, etc., that have been captured by China going beyond its real extent. Engage with the US and West to take the lead.

• Establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

• Raise voices for a unified geographical entity of Tibet to include Tibet Autonomous Region, Amdo, and Kham.

• All communications should mention and use the term India-Tibet border as against India-China Border/LAC.

• Do away with ‘One China Policy’ unless our claim lines are restored and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Shaksgam Valley are vacated by Chinese from all kinds of its presence.

• Rename all places with Indian names in claimed areas and with Tibetan names beyond that.

• Publish maps as per the claim lines of India and ensure that all countries having diplomatic relations adhere to this. It needs to be done deliberately in a targeted manner.

• Don’t allow visitors of those regions, which have been captured by China, to travel to India on a Chinese visa.

• Focus on infrastructure growth in border areas.

• Reinforce forces and resources in the border areas.

• Enhance support for vibrant villages in the border areas.

The above are some of the measures, and there could be many more. These have to be pragmatically adopted in the national interest. It has to be realised that by supporting Tibet, in a real sense, India will be ensuring its own national security.

The author is a Kargil war veteran and Director General of CENJOWS. He has authored two books—‘China Betrays Again’ and ‘Indian Churnings on the Global Stage’. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.