Dalai clique's disingenuous claims

Editor's note: Zhu Weiqun, director of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, led a delegation to the headquarters of the European Union in October. The following is based on an interview with Belgian, Swiss and Italian journalists:

Tibet has been of great significance to China, economically, strategically or in other aspects, and this is based on the precondition that Tibet is part of China's territory. Given that whether from a historical or from a de jure perspective the vast plateau region is China's territory and we will in no case allow its separation from the country. Our determination in opposing "Tibetan independence" is by no means based on what some Westerners have claimed is China's need for the resources in the region.

Tibet was a feudal serfdom for centuries before the launch of its democratic reforms in 1959. This meant Tibet would undoubtedly encounter huge difficulties in the process of modernization, especially renewed resistance from the former ruling clique. However, with the joint efforts of Tibetans and the people in the rest of the country, Tibet has managed to make fairly good achievements. The region's gross domestic product grew by 13 percent year-on-year in 2012, a two-digit growth for the 20th consecutive year. The disposable income of farmers and herdsmen in the region grew by 17 percent from a year earlier, a two-digit increase for the 10th consecutive year. Even the intentional acts of sabotage plotted by the Dalai Lama clique, including the self-immolation incidents they have instigated in recent years, have failed to interrupt Tibet's progress. We have full confidence in the region's future.