Dalai clique's disingenuous claims

The 14th Dalai Lama's argument that the migration of Han people to Tibet to live or work will threaten the survival and development of Tibetans is also groundless. There is no law in China that imposes a ban on the free movement of its residents from one place to another. It has long been the central government's policy to dispatch experienced and skilled people to the Tibet, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions and other less-developed regions to help them with their economic construction and development. China has never denied or concealed the existence of such a national policy.

With the gradual loosening of the hukou, or household registration system since reform and opening-up, an increasing number of Han people have moved to Tibet and other frontier regions for business. At the same time, more Tibetans or people of other ethnic minorities have also left their hometowns and moved to other regions to make a living. Such kind of cross-regional demographic movement is very normal during fast economic development and no one is empowered to stop the trend. Despite the fact that some Han people have moved to Tibet, Tibetans still account for more than 90 percent of the region's total population and such a demographic pattern is not expected to experience any major change in the foreseeable future.

The Dalai Lama asserts that the movement of Han people to Tibet should be stopped and all Han people living or working in the region should be driven out of it for the "survival" of Tibetans. What an absurd argument! As a part of China's territory, all Chinese citizens are entitled to freely move among different regions, including the Tibet autonomous region.

It is also absurd to believe the central government's efforts to help local Tibetan farmers and herdsmen build homes will result in them losing their nomadic culture and traditions. It is against human rights if some people enjoy a modern urban life while insisting others should live in a backward condition that lacks schools, hospitals and other basic facilities.

There have been no talks between the central government and the Dalai Lama in recent years because the latter has been harboring the unrealistic illusion that talks are based on the central government's recognition of the legitimacy of the "Tibetan government in exile". Such a precondition is absolutely unacceptable to the Chinese central government. Talks can be held only after the Dalai Lama clique stops its separatist activities and returns to a correct position. Also, any "middle road" advocated by the clique, which is in essence aimed at pursuing "Tibet's independence", will also make any talks with the central government impossible.

The 14th Dalai Lama should be aware that his separatist moves will lead nowhere and the fate and future of the region are in the hands of all Chinese people, including Tibetans, rather than a handful of separatists.