The United States and China in Power Transition - Strategic Studies ...

instance) and came up with documented evidence
to support their views. They found that
the United States was actively involved in
helping Tibet to establish independent nationhood
in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They
also found that the United States continued
to encourage Tibetans to pursue the course of
independence throughout the 1950s, provided
Tibetans with weapons and trained Tibetan
fighters, and eventually helped the Dalai Lama
to flee from China in 1959. 186
• The Chinese analyses are further supported by
American writers revealing U.S. involvement
in the Tibetan affairs. 187
• In addition, Chinese analysts have also documented
U.S. congressional efforts to support
the Tibet independence movement. 188
• The Chinese all hold that since the end of the
Cold War, and especially since China showed
signs of its rising, U.S. policy on Tibet has become
part of the U.S. efforts to slow down or
even derail China’s development. The Chinese
argue that the United States does not really care
about human rights and economic wellbeing in
Tibet; U.S. policy on Tibet has to serve overall
U.S. interest regarding China; U.S. concerns
about political, religious, and ethnic rights in
Tibet are only smokescreens for the United
States to leverage influence over changes in
China. 189
In all fairness, one can see that the Dalai Lama is
reconciliatory. Indeed, in a note presented to the Chinese
government by the Dalai Lama’s dialogue representatives
in their latest round of talks in February
2010, the Dalai Lama has gone so far as to reaffirm un-
166