Romaine Wray

China, India and Tibet Romaine Wray

Tibet is located to the south-west of China, also bordering India, Nepal, Burma and Bhutan. Tibet's historical territory would make it the world's 10th largest nation. Today it is under China's occupation and has been divided up, renamed and incorporated into Chinese provinces. When China refers to Tibet, it means only part of historic Tibet: what it names the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China. 'Flowering relations' between India and China in the early 1950s were based on peaceful co?existence. But these withered and faded in an atmosphere of mutual hostility following the 1962 war between the two countries. A new phase of improved ties began with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China in December 1988, resulting in the setting up of a Joint Working Group to defuse tension and ensure peace and tranquillity on the borders. Since the end of the Cold War and the demise of the Soviet Union, India-China relations have not only steadily improved, but have strengthened in diverse fields of mutual interest. The issue of Tibet is not merely a question of the survival of a people with their own distinct history and culture, it also has direct bearing on the fate of this world and Asian peace, and particularly upon the relationship between the world's two most populous nations, India and China. At stake is also the serious question of human rights, as enshrined in the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the world body's effort to put an end to the era of colonialism and expansionism. Even the Chinese people themselves are opposed to the present Chinese system of governance and are demanding changes. The main reason why China-India geo-political relations have an underlying uneasiness is because of the issue of Tibet. It lies at the heart of the Chinese Claim to the entire Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which it alleges as "Chinese territory occupied by India." The students, scholars, teachers and literate public will undoubtedly welcome this work.